A supplemental treatment for chemotherapy: Control simulation using a mathematical model with estimated parameters based on in vivo experiment

Combinations of experimental studies and theoretical models have always played a key role in the clinical development of cancer treatments. In this study, in-vivo experiments are conducted in order to study the effects of DDW on melanoma tumor growth and its pharmacokinetics. Existing mathematical models are then employed to describe the melanoma dynamics and drug effects on the tumor growth. The model includes the tumor growth, chemotherapy, and pharmacokinetics. The model parameters are computed by fitting the mathematical relations to the test data using genetic algorithm (GA). A SDRE (State Dependent Ricatti Equation) based control strategy is then synthetized that leads to promising results. An optimal treatment plan is obtained consisting chemotherapy and DDW as a supplement treatment.