A numerical coupling model to analyze the blood flow, temperature, and oxygen transport in human breast tumor under laser irradiation.

The aim of this study is to investigate the variation of the blood perfusion rate and distribution of oxygen partial pressure (PO2) in human tumors by a coupling numerical model when laser irradiation is used as an adjuvant method in the treatment of cancer. A two-dimensional finite element (FE) thermal model of a human breast with a tumor was developed. The blood circulation inside the breast was modeled using one-dimensional non-linear equations of pulsatile fluid flow. The distribution of PO2 inside the capillaries, tumor vessels, and surrounding tissue was obtained by the Krogh analysis model. Finally, the variations of the average tumor temperature, blood perfusion, and PO2 during laser heating were computed by coupling the blood circulation, FE thermal, and oxygen transport models.