A method that produces high energy charged particles that may be used to destroy cancer cells contained in cancerous tissues. The device uses electronic neutron generators to produce neutrons with energies that have a high probability to interact with a therapeutic source comprised of a reactive material with an outer layer of a material having a high atomic number such as Platinum or Gold. The reaction produces high energy electrons, and in some cases other charged particles with relatively short half-lives, which can destroy the cancerous cells, without seriously damaging the surrounding healthy tissue.