Mathematical modelling of chemovirotherapy cancer treatment

Abstract

ABSTRACT This work investigates the synergistic effects of the combination of oncolytic virotherapy and chemotherapy on tumour cells. A mathematical model, in the form of ordinary differential equations, is developed, analysed and numerically simulated. Analytical results show that without treatment, a tumour would grow to its maximum size. Also, in the presence of a tumour microenvironment, chemotherapy and virotherapy on their own are incapable of clearing tumour cells but instead reduce the tumour concentration. However, with the use of chemovirotherapy treatment, all tumour cells are depleted. It is also demonstrated that as the virus burst size and infection rate are increased, many infected tumour cells are produced and make them more susceptible to the chemotherapeutic drug. Furthermore, successful combination therapy depends on the virus burst size, infection rate, and drug-infusion method. Numerical simulations affirm that chemovirotherapy is highly effective in combating cancer cells which is in agreement with some recent theoretical and experimental studies.