Mathematical Modelling of Convection Enhanced Delivery of Carmustine and Paclitaxel for Brain Tumour Therapy

Purpose

Convection enhanced delivery (CED) is a promising method of anticancer treatment to bypass the blood–brain barrier. This paper is aimed to study drug transport under different CED operating conditions.

Methods

The convection enhanced delivery of chemotherapeutics to an intact and a remnant brain tumour after resection is investigated by means of mathematical modelling of the key physical and physiological processes of drug transport. Realistic models of brain tumour and its holding tissue are reconstructed from magnetic resonance images. Mathematical modelling is performed for the delivery of carmustine and paclitaxel with different infusion rates, solution concentrations and locations of infusion site.

Results

Modelling predications show that drug penetration can be improved by raising the infusion rate and the infusion solution concentration. The delivery of carmustine with CED is highly localised. High drug concentration only can be achieved around the infusion site. The transport of paclitaxel is more sensitive to CED-enhanced interstitial fluid as compared to carmustine, with deeper penetration into tumour interior. Infusing paclitaxel in the upstream of interstitial fluid flow leads to high spatial averaged concentration and relatively uniform distribution.

Conclusion

Results obtained in this study can be used to guide the design and optimisation of CED treatment regimens.