Mathematical modeling of brain tumors: effects of radiotherapy and chemotherapy

Gliomas, the most common primary brain tumors, are diffusive and highly invasive. The standard treatment for brain tumors consists of a combination of surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy. Over the past few years, mathematical models have been applied to study untreated and treated brain tumors. In an effort to improve treatment strategies, we consider a simple spatio-temporal mathematical model, based on proliferation and diffusion, that incorporates the effects of radiotherapeutic and chemotherapeutic treatments. We study the effects of different schedules of radiation therapy, including fractionated and hyperfractionated external beam radiotherapy, using a generalized linear quadratic (LQ) model. The results are compared with published clinical data. We also discuss the results for combination therapy (radiotherapy plus temozolomide, a new chemotherapy agent), as proposed in recent clinical trials. We use the model to predict optimal sequencing of the postoperative (combination of radiotherapy and adjuvant, neo-adjuvant or concurrent chemotherapy) treatments for brain tumors.