Response to the authors of 'On the (un)effectiveness of Proton Boron Capture in Proton Therapy'

TL;DR

This paper responds to claims questioning the effectiveness of proton boron capture in proton therapy, defending the original experimental results and emphasizing the lack of new scientific insights in the critique.

Contribution

It clarifies the scientific debate around proton boron capture efficacy and defends the robustness of previous experimental findings against recent criticisms.

Findings

Reaffirms the robustness of previous experimental results

Critiques the lack of new insights in the recent report

Highlights the ongoing scientific debate

Abstract

This manuscript provides a response to a recent report by Mazzone et al. available online on arXiv that, in turn, tentatively aims at demonstrating the inefficacy of proton boron capture in hadrotherapy. We clarify that Mazzone et al. do not add any scientific or technical insights to the points extensively discussed in the original manuscript by Cirrone et al., and/or in the series of iterations had with the Referee, which ultimately lead to the publication of our original and pioneering experimental work. Here we summarize some of the key points of the long scientific debate we had during the review process of paper by Cirrone et al., which are very similar to the considerations presented by Mazzone et al.. In conclusion, no quantitative explanation of our robust experimental achievements presented in Cirrone et al. is provided in Mazzone et al.