Computational study of microwave-driven drug delivery with realistic tumor modeling and optimized heating protocols for hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most prevalent form of liver cancer, remains one of the top contributors to cancer-related mortality worldwide. Existing treatments like chemotherapy and thermal ablation face critical limitations, including suboptimal tumor coverage and high systemic toxicity. This study introduces a numerical approach to investigate the combined effects of pulsed microwave hyperthermia and thermosensitive liposomal (TSL) drug delivery. A 3D computational model was developed based on segmented CT imaging to replicate realistic liver tumor anatomy. The model simulates both spatial and temporal variations in drug diffusion, incorporating temperature and tissue damage-dependent parameters. Results indicate that pulsed hyperthermia enhances intracellular doxorubicin levels by 50.4 % (from 0.387 to 0.582 mol m⁻³) compared to traditional chemotherapy. Additionally, pulsed heating significantly reduces thermally ablated tumor volume (from 35.5 % to 18.6 %) relative to continuous heating. The use of anatomically accurate geometry allows for a more detailed analysis of how tumor and tissue shape irregularities influence therapeutic outcomes and temperature field diffusion. These results emphasize the potential for integrating targeted drug carriers and localized heating in advancing personalized treatment for liver cancer.