Computational modeling of combined laser-ultrasound hyperthermia therapy for breast cancer using gold nanoparticles: A simulation study.

Abstract

Breast cancer is a disease in which cells in the breast grow out of control. After surgery, chemotherapy, and other invasive treatments, hyperthermia is a suitable choice with the minimal side effects. In this paper, the treatment of breast cancer using a combination of laser and ultrasound irradiation, in the presence of gold nanoparticles, is investigated. In the simulations, the breast tissue is represented as a multilayer structure and the tumor is supposed to consist of two parts: a superficial section and a deeper region. In the initial stage, the superficial parts of the tumor, which also contain gold nanoparticles, are exposed to a continuous laser for 50 s followed by a cooling period of 20 s. Then, for deeper sections, ultrasound irradiation is utilized. The results indicated that the tissue necrosis volume was enhanced by the application of nanoparticles. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that the combined application of both laser and ultrasound could eradicate both the superficial parts of the tumor and the deep parts.