A cellular automaton model for tumour growth in inhomogeneous environment

Most of the existing mathematical models for tumour growth and tumour-induced angiogenesis neglect blood flow. This is an important factor on which both nutrient and metabolite supply depend. In this paper we aim to address this shortcoming by developing a mathematical model which shows how blood fl...

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Main Authors: Alarcon, T, Byrne, H, Maini, P
Format: Journal article
Published: 2003
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author Alarcon, T
Byrne, H
Maini, P
author_facet Alarcon, T
Byrne, H
Maini, P
author_sort Alarcon, T
collection OXFORD
description Most of the existing mathematical models for tumour growth and tumour-induced angiogenesis neglect blood flow. This is an important factor on which both nutrient and metabolite supply depend. In this paper we aim to address this shortcoming by developing a mathematical model which shows how blood flow and red blood cell heterogeneity influence the growth of systems of normal and cancerous cells. The model is developed in two stages. First we determine the distribution of oxygen in a native vascular network, incorporating into our model features of blood flow and vascular dynamics such as structural adaptation, complex rheology and red blood cell circulation. Once we have calculated the oxygen distribution, we then study the dynamics of a colony of normal and cancerous cells, placed in such a heterogeneous environment. During this second stage, we assume that the vascular network does not evolve and is independent of the dynamics of the surrounding tissue. The cells are considered as elements of a cellular automaton, whose evolution rules are inspired by the different behaviour of normal and cancer cells. Our aim is to show that blood flow and red blood cell heterogeneity play major roles in the development of such colonies, even when the red blood cells are flowing through the vasculature of normal, healthy tissue.
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spelling oxford-uuid:ac580a53-d17d-4139-ac89-128f106ade742022-03-27T03:28:23ZA cellular automaton model for tumour growth in inhomogeneous environmentJournal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:ac580a53-d17d-4139-ac89-128f106ade74Mathematical Institute - ePrints2003Alarcon, TByrne, HMaini, PMost of the existing mathematical models for tumour growth and tumour-induced angiogenesis neglect blood flow. This is an important factor on which both nutrient and metabolite supply depend. In this paper we aim to address this shortcoming by developing a mathematical model which shows how blood flow and red blood cell heterogeneity influence the growth of systems of normal and cancerous cells. The model is developed in two stages. First we determine the distribution of oxygen in a native vascular network, incorporating into our model features of blood flow and vascular dynamics such as structural adaptation, complex rheology and red blood cell circulation. Once we have calculated the oxygen distribution, we then study the dynamics of a colony of normal and cancerous cells, placed in such a heterogeneous environment. During this second stage, we assume that the vascular network does not evolve and is independent of the dynamics of the surrounding tissue. The cells are considered as elements of a cellular automaton, whose evolution rules are inspired by the different behaviour of normal and cancer cells. Our aim is to show that blood flow and red blood cell heterogeneity play major roles in the development of such colonies, even when the red blood cells are flowing through the vasculature of normal, healthy tissue.
spellingShingle Alarcon, T
Byrne, H
Maini, P
A cellular automaton model for tumour growth in inhomogeneous environment
title A cellular automaton model for tumour growth in inhomogeneous environment
title_full A cellular automaton model for tumour growth in inhomogeneous environment
title_fullStr A cellular automaton model for tumour growth in inhomogeneous environment
title_full_unstemmed A cellular automaton model for tumour growth in inhomogeneous environment
title_short A cellular automaton model for tumour growth in inhomogeneous environment
title_sort cellular automaton model for tumour growth in inhomogeneous environment
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AT byrneh acellularautomatonmodelfortumourgrowthininhomogeneousenvironment
AT mainip acellularautomatonmodelfortumourgrowthininhomogeneousenvironment
AT alarcont cellularautomatonmodelfortumourgrowthininhomogeneousenvironment
AT byrneh cellularautomatonmodelfortumourgrowthininhomogeneousenvironment
AT mainip cellularautomatonmodelfortumourgrowthininhomogeneousenvironment