Electric field analysis of human breast tumors for treatment by electroporation

Breast cancer is a frequently diagnosed disease in women, second only to cancers of the skin. According to the American Cancer Society there were approximately 210,000 new cases of breast cancer estimated in 2010 in the US, 20% of which resulted in death. With such a high rate of incidence, there is clearly a need for alternate treatments, especially for in-operable tumors and chemo- and radio-resistive patients. Electrochemotherapy, a method by which high intensity, short duration electrical pulses are used to temporarily open pores of cells to enhance uptake of drugs, is gaining popularity in drug delivery for cancer treatment. Electric field distribution is critical for effective electroporation. This thesis aims at providing a model by which breast cancer tissues can be studied and analyzed for treatment by electroporation. Maxwell SV and 13,Ansoft software packages are used for simulation of electrodes and tumor tissues. Suitable electrode models are developed for treatment of invasive and in-situ breast cancer. Finite element analyses of these models demonstrate the electric field intensity and distribution in the tumors. These results will help in improving electrical pulse-mediated drug delivery techniques for cancer treatment