title: Fast and high temperature hyperthermia coupled with radiotherapy as a possible new treatment for glioblastoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A new transcranial focused ultrasound device has been developed that can induce hyperthermia in a large tissue volume. The purpose of this work is to investigate theoretically how glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) can be effectively treated by combining the fast hyperthermia generated by this focused ultrasound device with external beam radiotherapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  To investigate the effect of tumor growth, we have developed a mathematical description of GBM proliferation and diffusion in the context of reaction-diffusion theory. In addition, we have formulated equations describing the impact of radiotherapy and heat on GBM in the reaction-diffusion equation, including tumor regrowth by stem cells. This formulation has been used to predict the effectiveness of the combination treatment for a realistic focused ultrasound heating scenario. Our results show that patient survival could be significantly improved by this combined treatment modality.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  High priority should be given to experiments to validate the therapeutic benefit predicted by our model.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Milano Bicocca, Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Borasi
authors.affiliation: Physics Department, Liverpool University, Liverpool, UK.
authors.forename: Alan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nahum
authors.affiliation: Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Margarethus M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Paulides
authors.affiliation: Department of Mathematics, College of Science, Swansea University, Swansea, UK.
authors.forename: Gibin
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Powathil
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Bioimmagini e Fisiologia Molecolare-Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Russo
authors.affiliation: Istituto Nazionale Neurologico "C.Besta", Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fariselli
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Bioimmagini e Fisiologia Molecolare-Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Debora
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lamia
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Bioimmagini e Fisiologia Molecolare-Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cirincione
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Bioimmagini e Fisiologia Molecolare-Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Giusi Irma
authors.initials: GI
authors.lastname: Forte
authors.affiliation: Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Cristian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Borrazzo
authors.affiliation: Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Caccia
authors.affiliation: Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Elisabetta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: di Castro
authors.affiliation: Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pozzi
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Bioimmagini e Fisiologia Molecolare-Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Carla
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Gilardi
keywords: Glioblastoma; Hyperthermia; Magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound; Oncology