Tumor growth model identification and analysis in case of C38 colon adenocarcinoma and B16 melanoma

Abstract

Cancer fighting treatments are expanding, and a promising type, targeted molecular therapies have a new approach. The aim of these therapies is not to eliminate the whole tumor, but to control the tumor into a given state and keep it there. Explicit knowledge of tumor growth dynamics and the effects of targeted molecular therapies is crucial in tumor treatment development. We show the results of mouse experiments where tumor growth was investigated in case of C38 colon adenocarcinoma and B16 melanoma. Several curves were fitted and tumor growth dynamics was examined. Three attributes of tumor were measured: tumor volume, tumor mass and vascularization; and tumor growth dynamics was examined. Tumor volume was measured with digital caliper, vascularization was investigated with CD31 antibody immunohistochemistry staining on frozen sections. The relationship between these tumor attributes were examined with linear regression analysis. The dynamics of tumor growth was identified as a second order linear system.