weapon

国立ガン研究センターでガンの新療法が発表されました。

The National Cancer Center in Tokyo has unveiled a new weapon to treat cancers long considered unbeatable: neutrons that attack cancer cells only.

NCC says it hopes to launch clinical trials for the new radiation therapy, called Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT), by next March.

BNCT is a next-generation radiotherapy that is believed to be less invasive and easier to endure for cancer patients. It is administered in two steps. First, a patient is injected with drug compounds containing boron-10, which is known to accumulate in cancer cells. Next, low-energy neutrons are irradiated onto parts of the patient’s body. When neutron beams hit boron, it causes a nuclear reaction, decays into alpha particles and lithium-7 nuclei, and kills cancer cells in the process.

The alpha particles and lithium-7 nuclei travel such short distances ― 9 microns and 4 microns, respectively ― so they don’t destroy healthy cells around cancers.

BNCT is hoped to save people with cancers long considered hard or impossible to treat, including brain tumors and malignant melanoma, known as the most aggressive and life-threatening type of skin cancer.

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2016/04/06/national/science-health/japanese-researchers-to-test-new-weapon-on-unbeatable-cancers/#.VwiYQ1LXfCR

今回の記事で気になった単語は"weapon"です。

「武器、兵器」といった意味が真っ先に思いつくと思います。
『ジーニアス英和辞典』(大修館)第4版で調べてみると、1.「武器、兵器、凶器、(動植物の)攻撃[防御]器官」2.「[比喩的に](…のための)武器、対抗手段」とありました。
今回の記事では、「対抗手段」と解釈できます。
また、LDOCEで調べてみると、"an action, piece of information, piece of equipment etc that you can use to win or be successful in doing something"という意味がありました。

今まで、"weapon"と聞くと、攻撃する為の武器のような、マイナスなイメージがありましたが、何かに対抗する、立ち向かう、成功する、といった、プラスの意味があるのだと初めて気づきました。(Akim)