title: Mathematical optimization of the combination of radiation and differentiation therapies for cancer.
abstract: Cancer stem cells (CSC) are considered to be a major driver of cancer progression and successful therapies must control CSCs. However, CSC are often less sensitive to treatment and they might survive radiation and/or chemotherapies. In this paper we combine radiation treatment with differentiation therapy. During differentiation therapy, a differentiation promoting agent is supplied (e.g., TGF-beta) such that CSCs differentiate and become more radiosensitive. Then radiation can be used to control them. We consider three types of cancer: head and neck cancer, brain cancers (primary tumors and metastatic brain cancers), and breast cancer; and we use mathematical modeling to show that combination therapy of the above type can have a large beneficial effect for the patient; increasing treatment success and reducing side effects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences, Centre for Mathematical Biology, University of Alberta Edmonton, AB, Canada.
authors.forename: Jeff W N
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Bachman
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hillen
keywords: cancer modeling; cancer stem cells; combination therapy; differentiation therapy; radiation treatment; tumor stem cells