Linear state-feedback control synthesis of tumor growth control in antiangiogenic therapy

Cancer diseases are one of the most lethal, incurable diseases today, thus fighting cancer is an actual and urgent problem in clinical practice. Beside classical therapies, a new approach is represented by model-based therapies, where human body works as a complex system. These therapies are called targeted molecular therapies (TMTs). TMTs are fighting specifically against different cancer mechanisms and usually don't eliminate the whole tumor, but control the tumor into a given state and keep it there. The aim of antiangiogenic cancer therapy is to prevent tumors from forming new blood vessels, because without angiogenesis tumor growth is inhibited. In this paper we analyze a nonlinear tumor growth model and design linear controllers based on a linear model acquired from working point linearization. Realized controllers are state feedback with pole placement, LQ control method and both controllers with state observer. Simulations are carried out and the controllers are analyzed in many aspects, including the working points used at linearization.