Mathematical model of cancer chemotherapy. Periodic schedules of phase- specific cytotoxic-agent administration increasing the selectivity of therapy (Q1059007)

Considered is the problem of optimization of the protocols of cancer chemotherapeutic treatments. The model employed includes two cell populations, normal and malignant, the latter having longer mean interdivision times. The interdivision times are assumed to be distributed according to a delayed noncentral gamma law. The chemotherapeutic agent is assumed to be applied periodically and to have a cell cycle phase specific, purely killing, action. The basic question is what should be the interval between two successive doses of the drug, to minimize the number of tumor cells, keeping the number of normal cells at a predetermined level (other, equivalent formulations of this control problem are also provided). The problem is dealt with numerically. Over the range of parameters considered (approximating the usually observed cell cycle characteristics), the study indicates that the best interdosage period is approximately equal to the mean interdivision time of normal cells. A thorough discussion of applicability of this result is provided.