The embedded tumor: host physiology is important for the interpretation of tumor growth
Leeuwen, I. M. M. van, Zonneveld, C. and Kooijman, S. A. L. M. 2003.
The embedded tumor: host physiology is important for the interpretation of
tumor growth. British Journal of Cancer, 89: 2254 - 2263
Abstract
The growth capacity of a tumour can significantly depend on host features
such as age, cell proliferation rates and caloric intake. Although this is
widely known, existing mathematical models for tumour growth do not
account for it. In this article, we develop a model for tumour growth
within a mathematical framework describing the basic physiology of the
host organism. In the context of the resulting tumour-within-host model,
tumour behaviour shows a clear dependence on the age and feeding regimen
of the host organism. Moreover, we are able to link these dependences to
specific interactions between the energetics of tumour and host. The model
is also suited to evaluate the effects of a tumour on the host. We show
how it can be applied to study tumour-mediated body-weight loss.