A MATHEMATICAL MODEL FOR TREATMENT OF PAPILLARY THYROID CANCER USING THE ALLEE EFFECT

The incidence of thyroid cancer is rising all over the world, and the papillary subtype (PTC) is the primary factor for this increase. The presence of thyroid tumors is commonly associated with increased levels of cytokines, such as interleukin 6 (IL-6). Considering PTC patients treated with thyroidectomy and radioactive iodine I-131 (RAI), we propose an ordinary differential system using four variables: the RAI activity, the number of cancer cells and the serum concentrations of IL-6 and thyroglobulin (Tg). Our objective is to study the efficacy of different therapeutic doses of RAI in the treatment of thyroid cancer. The Allee effect is taken into account when modeling cancer cells growth under the influence of IL-6. From the results obtained, the main factors and conditions correlated with successful treatment, such as the RAI activity used and the tumor response are addressed. The detection of minimal doses of RAI that can cause tumor extinction is performed, though this has also meant longer periods for tumor cell elimination. The critical number of tumor cells due to the Allee effect is analyzed and linked to the immune system or biological factors that can slow the progression of the tumor but are insufficient after thyroid resection surgery.