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Abstract

Glioblastoma multiforme, a disease of grade IV astrocytoma, accounts for 60-70% of malignant brain tumors.¹ Despite its low survival rate, little is known about GBM and its treatment. The purpose of this study was to assess the comparative effectiveness of the most common drugs (temozolomide, carmustine, bevacizumab) in reducing tumor growth within GBM chemotherapy. It was hypothesized that due to their properties as alkylating agents inhibiting growth genes within GBM, temozolomide and carmustine would provide the most reduction in cellular growth mathematically.² VisualPDE simulations were used to model administration of temozolomide, carmustine, bevacizumab, and none in chemotherapy and provide the cellular GBM counts at any given time within five months (60 time points were used). Results showed cell growth reduction by temozolomide and carmustine, but most drastically by bevacizumab, and upon further analysis, a One-Way ANOVA yielded that the difference between at least two chemotherapeutic administrations were statistically significant (F(3, 236)=281.049, p<0.001). A post-hoc Tukey HSD test revealed a significant difference between no administration and each chemotherapeutic administration (TMZ: p<0.001, BCNU: p=0.046, BEV: p<0.001), as well as significant differences compared to bevacizumab, which was drastically more effective than TMZ and BCNU (p<0.001, p<0.001). Thus, it was concluded that BEV provided the optimal treatment in slowing GBM growth with the mathematical model through its ability to regulate proteins and drug resistance, allowing for its integration in future chemotherapy.

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