A mathematical model for the treatment of breast cancer using magnetic nanoparticles was developed in a study conducted by Dr. Victor Job and Dr. Nagarani Ponakala of the Department of Mathematics (Mona Campus), and collaborators from The U.W.I. St. Augustine Campus and I.I.T. Kharagpur (India). This form of treatment, called magnetic hyperthermia, is performed by injecting magnetic nanoparticles into cancerous tissues and using a magnetic field to generate heat in order to destroy the cancerous cells. The model constructed in this study simulates the nanoparticle injection process and subsequent heating of tissues by the magnetic field in the cases of FePt nanoparticles and FeCrNbB nanoparticles. Computer implementation of the mathematical solution was performed using the software FreeFEM++. The primary objective of the study was to determine the factors influencing thermal cell damage in cancerous tissue, while limiting damage to the surrounding regions of healthy breast gland tissue, fat and the overlying skin tissue. The results revealed that the effectiveness of hyperthermia treatment is dependent on parameters such as injection duration, injected nanoparticle volume fraction, and magnetic field strength and frequency. These findings can be used to improve the clinical efficacy of magnetic hyperthermia therapy for glandular breast cancers and other types of adenocarcinomas that may be treated via direct injection of magnetic nanoparticles into cancerous tissues. The research conducted in this study has been published in Volume 192, Part A (108405) of the International Journal of Thermal Sciences (Elsevier, Impact Factor 4.5).
Authors: Dr. Sreedhara Rao Gunakala, Dr. Victor M. Job, Prof. P.V.S.N. Murthy, Dr. Nagarani Ponakala, Prof. Hariharan Seetharaman, Prof. Boppana Chowdary.
Photo caption (L-R): Dr. Victor Job and Dr. Nagarani Ponakala, Department of Mathematics, Faculty of Science and Technology, The University of the West Indies, Mona Campus.
Follow the Faculty of Science and Technology on Instagram @uwimona_fst and on Facebook at The Faculty of Science and Technology, The UWI Mona. For inquiries, WhatsApp us at 1-876-552-4691, call us at 1-876-977-1785, or email us at fst@uwimona.edu.jm.
Published on 12 Feb, 2024
Our 7 faculties and 12 professional schools offer more than 200 programmes to some 18,000 graduate, undergraduate and continuing studies students.
The UWI, Mona ranks first in Jamaica among accredited tertiary-level programmes. In 2012, the University was again one of Jamaica’s Top 100 Employers.
