Numerical simulation of heat transfer in liver tumor therapy using magnetic nanoparticles under alternating magnetic fields

Cancer is a major global health challenge that necessitates targeted therapeutic approaches with minimal damage to healthy tissues. Hyperthermia, by locally elevating the temperature of cancerous tissue to approximately 42–45°C, enhances tumor cell sensitivity to radiotherapy and chemotherapy, ultimately inducing selective cell death. In this study, magnetic hyperthermia using iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) combined with an alternating magnetic field (AMF) is employed as a non-invasive and effective method for liver cancer treatment. Heat transfer modeling within liver tissue containing MNPs was conducted using the COMSOL Multiphysics environment. Key parameters such as nanoparticle type, particle diameter, magnetic field frequency, and applied power intensity were investigated. The results demonstrated that increasing the magnetic field intensity and frequency leads to a higher heating rate and greater thermal damage to tumor tissue. These findings suggest that optimal utilization of magnetic nanoparticles could serve as an effective strategy for non-invasive treatment of deep-seated tumors like liver cancer.