Simulating The Effect of the Radiotherapy on Cancer Stem Cell Evolution

Radiotherapy is one of the most effective treatments for cancer. However, the radiation on cancer often leads to further tumor evolution and resistance. Accumulating evidence suggests that the cancer stem cells (CSCs) play a significant role in the tumor’s radioresistance and invasiveness. Therefore, we set out to investigate the aggressiveness and radioresistance that emerge because of radiation-induced selective pressures on CSCs. We developed an agent-based model (ABM) that tracks the evolution and growth of the cancer after treated by different regimens of radiotherapy. In the ABM, each cell is an agent that follows some predefined rules for their behaviors and interactions with other agents. We showed that the radiotherapy treatment increased the resistance, proliferation rate, and the CSC proportion of the tumor. Our simulation also showed that the CSC-targeted treatment is important for eliminating tumor completely.