Modeling Tumor Growth: The Impact of Nutrient Consumption, and Mechanical Stress

Cancer is marked by abnormal cell proliferation and migration, leading to metastasis driven by the complex tumorhost microenvironment. Tumor progression is influenced by glucose and oxygen levels, growth factors, and cell proliferation and death, as well as mechanical interactions within the microenvironment that shape cell behavior. Tumor spheroids, which replicate the three-dimensional structure of solid tumors, are crucial for studying tumor behavior under stress conditions. Mathematical models are used to understand tumor growth and treatment impacts, taking into account genetic regulation and experimental outcomes. This study enhances a model to include the effects of solid stress, collagen, and nutrient consumption on cell growth, using a finite element code. Initially, the model examines the relationship between tumor growth and nutrient consumption, and subsequently how stress impacts tumor growth by adding a corrective factor.