Mathematical approaches to optimization of cancer chemotherapy

This paper uses optimal control theory in conjunction with a Gompertzian type model for cellular growth to determine the optimal method of administering cycle non-specific chemotherapy or more generally the optimal durations of treatment and rest periods during chemotherapy. The performance critera employed to determine the relative merits of the therapy include not only the destruction of malignant cells, but also the sparing of a critical normal tissue. Since these criteria are at odds with one another, the solutions are found which satisfy the Pareto optimality conditions.