Thesis

Modeling the radiobiological effects of radiation therapy for breast cancer

• Call:

  ProtoTera Call 2021/2

• Academic Year:

  2021

• Supervisor:

  João Carvalho

• Co-Supervisor:

  Ana Abrantes

• Host Institution:

  CFisUC – Centro de Física da Universidade de Coimbra

• Granting Degree Institution:

  Universidade de Coimbra

• Typology:

  National

• Abstract:

  A computational simulation of the initiation and progress of breast cancer, reaching different stage levels, according to TNM and histologic classification, will be developed and validated. This initial work involves the analysis of computer tomography (CT) images and histologic information from biopsies and the adjustment of the simulation parameters to particular patient stages. After the validation of the simulation phase, it will be possible to introduce the different therapies, from gamma radiation to proton therapy. First, breast cancer cell lines will be used to characterize, in a quantitative way, the effects of radiotherapy through irradiation of cells in different environmental conditions to characterize radiation biological effects. The simulation of interaction of radiation with the biologic material will be done using the GEANT4/TOPAS package, complemented with nBios. The simulation conditions will be adjusted to the experimental ones. The use of patient-derived organoids (PDO), that are able to mimetize basic features of primary tumors, including histological complexity, will finally allow us to compare the cancer treatment clinical output with simulation data through a personalized cancer treatment approach. At the end of the work plan, it will be possible to simulate the effect of proton therapy in breast cancer, in particular using the PDO model, first with a dedicated simulation and ultimately with a proton beam, requested through the Inspire Project.