[Mathematical description of the successive action of ionizing radiation and hyperthermia on mammalian cells]

Abstract

A previously proposed mathematical model for the description of the effects of simultaneous action of hyperthermia and ionizing radiation was used to predict the successive treatment of these agents. The model suggests that the synergistic effect of combined action of ionizing radiation and hyperthermia is caused by additional lethal damages arising from the interaction of sublesions induced by both agents. These sublesions are not lethal after the action of these modalities, each taken alone. The model was tested against experimental data reported by other authors. The applicability of the proposed model was demonstrated to predict the dose modifying factor and the limited modification of mammalian cell radiosensitivity by hyperthermia as well as to reveal a more effective sequence of these agents.