Effect of tumor shape and size on drug delivery to solid tumors

M Soltani,Pu Chen

doi:10.1186/1754-1611-6-4

Abstract

Tumor shape and size effect on drug delivery to solid tumors are studied, based on the application of the governing equations for fluid flow, i.e., the conservation laws for mass and momentum, to physiological systems containing solid tumors. The discretized form of the governing equations, with appropriate boundary conditions, is developed for predefined tumor geometries. The governing equations are solved using a numerical method, the element-based finite volume method. Interstitial fluid pressure and velocity are used to show the details of drug delivery in a solid tumor, under an assumption that drug particles flow with the interstitial fluid. Drug delivery problems have been most extensively researched in spherical tumors, which have been the simplest to examine with the analytical methods. With our numerical method, however, more complex shapes of the tumor can be studied. The numerical model of fluid flow in solid tumors previously introduced by our group is further developed to incorporate and investigate non-spherical tumors such as prolate and oblate ones. Also the effects of the surface area per unit volume of the tissue, vascular and interstitial hydraulic conductivity on drug delivery are investigated.

Highlights

Cancer causes one in every four deaths in North America and is the second most common cause of death worldwide [1]
It is believed that increasing the hydraulic conductivity of tumor vessels increases the drug delivery to tumor cells
The effect of increasing the hydraulic conductivity of microvessels, Lp, in terms of drug delivery to solid tumors is significant to this discussion

Summary

Introduction

Cancer causes one in every four deaths in North America and is the second most common cause of death worldwide [1]. Many new drugs have been developed, but lack of an efficient means of delivery makes them less effective Some of these drugs induce biochemical reactions in the body that produce toxicity. Bioengineers are primarily concerned with both the transport of drugs within the body (which usually involves systemic delivery through the blood supply) and with biochemical reactions or conversions at tumor sites [2,3]. All of these problems demonstrate that solutions to drug delivery limitations are urgently needed [1]

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Discussion

Conclusion