Simulation of haemodynamic flow in head and neck cancer chemotherapy

Realistic three dimensional patient specific geometry was created from image scan data. Pulsatile blood flow, turbulence, the chemical agent injection via a catheter, and the mixture between blood and the chemical were then simulated through the arterial network by computational fluid dynamics software.The results show a consistent chemical distribution throughout all the arteries and this is ineffective. In addition, due to high wall shear stress and turbulence at the inner bifurcation wall, serious complications during the treatment could occur, for instance haemolysis or thrombosis.The modelled catheter position is insufficient to provide a high chemical agent concentration in the desired tumour feeding artery, which is vital for therapy success.In head and neck cancer treatment and particularly in oral cancer treatment, surgery or radiotherapy alone or radiotherapy in combination with chemotherapy is generally administered. All modalities can lead to significant problems with swallowing and speech with consequent reduction in life quality. The general aim in cancer treatment is to approach maximum tumour control with minimum related side effects. In recent years, chemotherapy has become more relevant and is now an important treatment component in combined modality approaches, several studies in this subject are summarized in [[1], p. 127]. Studies, using concurrent chemoradiation in comparison with radiation alone, are commonly randomized trials, which vary in radiation dose, fractionation schedule, and administered chemotherapy. The dosage scheme, which is usually given in mass per body surface area (mg/m2), as well as the administration method of the chemical is vital for the prognosis.Using intra-arterial infusion improved the success of treatment. This is because of the arteries that supply specific tissue, detailed in [2,3]. This technique allows the supply of much higher chemical agent concentration directly to the tumour than intra-venous infusion. The la