Why does boron neutron capture therapy cause less damage to nearby healthy tissue?

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A labeled diagram of the periodic table entry for boron shows its atomic number 5, symbol B, electron configuration, atomic weight range, and classification as a solid, weakly acidic, other nonmetal with a rhombohedral crystal structure at room temperature. — boron Properties of boron.

Boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) minimizes damage to healthy tissue because the process relies on the localized interaction between boron-10 and thermal neutrons.

When specific boron compounds are injected into a patient, they collect preferentially within the brain tumour. When the area is subsequently irradiated with thermal neutrons—which cause relatively little general injury to surrounding tissue—the boron-10 nuclei capture the neutrons and release high-energy alpha particles. Because these alpha particles do not travel far in matter, the resulting tissue-damaging energy is released primarily within the tumour itself, leaving the surrounding healthy brain tissue significantly less affected.1