Frontiers in Mathematical Biology

Neutrophil dynamics after chemotherapy and G-CSF: the role of timing and pharmacokinetics in shaping the resposne

Grace Brooks

McGill University

Chemotherapy is known to have profound side effects in the hematopoietic system, and G-CSF is often used to deal with neutropenia induced by chemotherapy but the response is highly variable. A DDE model of the hematological system was studied, and the dynamics in response to various chemotherapy protocols investigated. Interestingly, a resonance was found in the system at forcing periods of about 20 days, as well as some effects related to the duration and amplitude of the forcing via chemotherapy or G-CSF. Nonintuitively, G-CSF can actually have a very deleterious effect upon the neutrophil population, due to the large imaginary part in the eigenvalues of the system close to the steady state. I am currently conducting a bifurcation analysis of the system, and hope to also have the results of this completed by the end of February for potential inclusion.