Modeling localized thermal therapy through coupled heat transfer and metabolic dynamics

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Computational Biology
• Oncology

Background:

• Local hyperthermia uses controlled heating to damage tumor cells, limit proliferation, and enhance cancer therapies.
• Understanding thermal distribution and its impact on tumor metabolism and glucose diffusion is crucial for effective treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To model temperature distribution in tumor-bearing tissue to quantify heat-induced damage.
• To examine the effects of hyperthermia on tumor metabolism and glucose diffusion.
• To integrate thermal damage into a modified tumor growth model.

Main Methods:

• Pennes' Bioheat equation was used to compute temperature variations in finite tissue.
• The finite difference method solved the bioheat equation.
• Euler's method simulated tumor progression under hyperthermia (39°C–43°C).
• Numerical results were validated against existing tumor and glucose concentration models.

Main Results:

• Higher hyperthermia temperatures significantly increased thermal damage to tumor cells.
• Elevated temperatures reduced glucose availability within the tumor.
• Hyperthermia treatment led to substantial inhibition of tumor growth and eventual shrinkage.

Conclusions:

• Incorporating thermal effects into tumor growth models is essential for accurate predictions.
• The study provides a computational framework to enhance hyperthermia-based cancer therapy.
• Optimized hyperthermia can effectively control tumor progression by leveraging thermal damage and metabolic disruption.