Multiscale models for the growth of avascular tumors

In the past 30 years we have witnessed an extraordinary progress on the research in the molecular biology of cancer, but its medical treatment, widely based on empirically established protocols, still has many limitations. One of the reasons for that is the limited quantitative understanding of the...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Martins, M. L., Ferreira Jr., S. C., Vilela, M. J.
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2007
País:Brasil
Institución:Universidade Federal de Viçosa (UFV)
Repositorio:LOCUS Repositório Institucional da UFV
Idioma:inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:locus.ufv.br:123456789/22064
Acceso en línea:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.plrev.2007.04.002
http://www.locus.ufv.br/handle/123456789/22064
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Cancer growth
Spatio-temporal pattern formation
Multi-scale models
Descripción
Sumario:In the past 30 years we have witnessed an extraordinary progress on the research in the molecular biology of cancer, but its medical treatment, widely based on empirically established protocols, still has many limitations. One of the reasons for that is the limited quantitative understanding of the dynamics of tumor growth and drug response in the organism. In this review we shall discuss in general terms the use of mathematical modeling and computer simulations related to cancer growth and its applications to improve tumor therapy. Particular emphasis is devoted to multiscale models which permit integration of the rapidly expanding knowledge concerning the molecular basis of cancer and the complex, nonlinear interactions among tumor cells and their microenvironment that will determine the neoplastic growth at the tissue level.