Mathematical model for the thermal enhancement of radiation response: thermodynamic approach

Abstract Radiotherapy can effectively kill malignant cells, but the doses required to cure cancer patients may inflict severe collateral damage adjacent healthy tissues. Recent technological advances in clinical application has revitalized hyperthermia treatment (HT) as an option improve radiotherapy (RT) outcomes. Understanding synergistic effect of simultaneous thermoradiotherapy via mathematical modelling is essential for planning. We here propose a theoretical model which thermal enhancement ratio (TER) relates cell fraction being radiosensitised by infliction sublethal through HT. Further finally kills or abrogates its proliferative capacity non-reversible process. suggest TER be proportional energy invested sensitisation, modelled simple rate Assuming protein denaturation main driver HT-induced and considering temperature dependence heat cellular proteins, sensitisation rates were found depend exponentially on temperature; agreement with previous empirical observations. Our findings point towards improved definition dose concordance thermodynamics denaturation. predictions well reproduce experimental vitro vivo data, explaining modulation radioresponse thermoradiotherapy.