Development of Small-scale Computational Model and Pre-clinical Validation of Patient-specific Salivary Gland Toxicity Predictions for Beta Emitting-radiopharmaceuticals
Radiopharmaceuticals deliver radiation to cancer cells in a treatment known as radiopharmaceutical therapy (RPT). Current methods to quantify the activity, binding and radiation damage caused by RPT are not well developed. This makes it difficult to predict the severity of side effects of RPT for patients. We will construct a detailed virtual model to understand how radiopharmaceuticals emitting beta-particles interact with salivary glands. The model will provide predictions at very small scales, on the level of cell types and sub-organ structures, using measurements at larger scales (e.g., SPECT/CT). This precise model will be validated using experiments in mice. We ultimately aim to predict the potential side effects on the salivary glands in humans to help radiation oncologists more effectively tailor RPT treatments to improve patient outcomes.
