Advanced computer modeling for microwave ablation in breast cancer

Microwave energy is a promising alternative in breast cancer treatment because it can preferentially heat and damage highwater-content breast carcinomas. In order to evaluate the feasibility of using this technique to treat breast cancer, a coaxial slot antenna computer simulation based on an axisymmetric finite element method model was used to compare heating differences between cancer and normal breast tissue. According to the results, the computer modeling demonstrated that the difference in dielectric properties and thermal parameters between malignant and normal adipose-dominated tissue was able to cause preferential heating of tumor during microwave ablation using a coaxial slot antenna.