Radiation protraction schedules for low-grade gliomas: a comparison between different mathematical models

J R Soc Interface. 2019 Dec;16(161):20190665. doi: 10.1098/rsif.2019.0665. Epub 2019 Dec 11.

Abstract

We optimize radiotherapy (RT) administration strategies for treating low-grade gliomas. Specifically, we consider different tumour growth laws, both with and without spatial effects. In each scenario, we find the optimal treatment in the sense of maximizing the overall survival time of a virtual low-grade glioma patient, whose tumour progresses according to the examined growth laws. We discover that an extreme protraction therapeutic strategy, which amounts to substantially extending the time interval between RT sessions, may lead to better tumour control. The clinical implications of our results are also presented.

Keywords: low-grade glioma; mathematical models; optimization problem; radiotherapy.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Brain Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Brain Neoplasms / radiotherapy*
  • Glioma / pathology*
  • Glioma / radiotherapy*
  • Humans
  • Models, Biological*