Department of Computer Science at UH

University of Houston

Department of Computer Science

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of
Doctor of Philosophy

David Thanoon

Will defend his dissertation

Computational Framework for Breast Cancer

Abstract

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in the developed as well as the developing countries. There are a plethora of proposed solutions regarding possible medical intervention for breast cancer--one in particular is Breast Conserving Therapy (BCT). BCT comprises of complete surgical excision of the tumor (partial mastectomy), and post-operative radiotherapy for the remaining breast tissue. This is a feasible treatment for most women with breast cancer. The goal of BCT is to achieve local control of the cancer, as well as to preserve a breast shape that appeases the woman's cosmetic concerns. Although these goals are usually achieved, there are still occasional unexpected results, such as tumor local recurrence, unsatisfactory cosmetic results, and breast pain. Other than surgical experience and judgment, there are currently no tools which can predict the outcome of pain intensity or the impact of partial mastectomy on the contour and deformity of the treated breast. The objective of this dissertation is to propose computational framework, which contributes to BCT operations. This includes:

  1. Understanding the dynamics of growth in breast tumors to improve estimation on negative margin.
  2. Predicting breast contour with virtual surgery.
  3. Computing the final shape after recovery with a multi-scale model that includes a description of the healing process.
Date: Monday, November 28, 2011
Time: 8:00 AM
Place: 550-PGH
Faculty, students, and the general public are invited.
Advisor: Dr. Marc Garbey