Simulation of Microwave Heating of Healthy and Cancerous Human Tissue With Gold Nanoparticles

Sammanfattning: With a great need for new and better cancer treatments, microwaves and gold nanoparticles (GNPs) are increasingly being suggested to be used in radiotherapy. In thisreport, the authors present an investigation of how human tissue,both malignant and healthy, behaves under microwave radiation.Specifically, the focus has been on gradual transitions between healthy and GNP-treated cancerous tissue inside a waveguide.Here, the electromagnetic material property of concern is therelative permittivity. The permittivities of human tissues andGNPs have been modelled using well known analytical models.Furthermore, numerical simulations have been performed usingCOMSOL Multiphysics and the results have been compared to analytical equations suggested to describe the energy absorption in the material. The study shows that the analytical equations are in agreement with the numerical simulations for lower propagating electromagnetic (EM) modes. Some possible electromagnetic resonance has been seen within the GNP treated cancer tissue. Furthermore, the extensive analytical models and numerical software tools created will be of importance for future research of the feasibility of this cancer treatment method.