Boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) is a promising targeted chemoradiotherapeutic technique for the management of invasive brain tumors, such as glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). A prerequisite for effective BNCT is the selective targeting of tumour cells with B-rich therapeutic moieties. To this end, polyhedral boranes, especially carboranes, have received considerable attention because they combine a high boron content with relative low toxicity and metabolic inertness. Here, we review progress in the molecular design of recently investigated carborane derivatives in light of the widely accepted performance requirements for effective BNCT.

Correction for “Boron-containing delocalised lipophilic cations for the selective targeting of cancer cells” by Gianpiero Calabrese et al., Med. Chem. Commun., 2017, 8, 67–72.

To limit the incidence of relapse, cancer treatments must not promote the emergence of drug resistance in tumour and cancer stem cells.