Radiotherapy and risks of tumor regrowth or inducing second cancer

Abstract

Considerable research is aimed at determining the mechanism by which tumor cures, or regrows or second cancer develops, to be predictable and controllable. The wide range of doses, from low to very high, estimated statistically is responsible for such risks. A mathematical model is presented that describes both: the growth due to lower or over irradiated doses or the post therapy relapse of human cancer, and the shrinkage due to either of over irradiated doses, or appropriate irradiated doses. Simulations of the presented model showed that the initial tumor energy, administered dose energy, and their subsequent summation of tumor regrowth energy are always balanced with summation of Whole Body Cell Energy Burden during all treatment phases. Tumor regrows if its energy is higher than that of the dose, or if the increase of dose energy from that of the tumor is less than the one required to complete its shrinkage path. Patient-specific approaches that account for variations in tumor energies should enable more accurate dose estimates and, consequently, better protection against either lower or over irradiation that could lead to tumor regrowth and increase risks of second cancer. © 2011 Springer-Verlag.