A Computational Study of the Kinetics of Liver Tumour Growth Under the Influence of Heterogeneous Nutrient Supply

Nutrient availability and supply are critical factors influencing tumour growth kinetics. Numerous studies have explored tumour growth simulation in various organs, including the prostate, brain, and breast, where nutrient supply can typically be approximated as homogeneous. However, unlike these organs, a single liver lobule features its own microcirculation, resulting in a heterogeneous distribution of nutrients within the lobule. This unique environment provides an opportunity to deepen our understanding of tumour behaviour under conditions of uneven nutrient distribution. To accurately model the microcirculation within a single liver lobule, we employed a dual-porosity approach to simulate glucose concentration in the lobule domain. This dual-porosity model is integrated with a phase-field model, which treats tumour growth as a phase separation problem. The combined dual-porosity and phase-field model allows for the examination of the effects of vasoconstriction and varied nutrient supply on tumour kinetics and morphology. Our simulations reveal that in environments with heterogeneous nutrient supply, such as those experiencing vasoconstriction, the tumour tends to skew towards regions with higher nutrient availability. Additionally, the simulations demonstrate that in hyperglycemic conditions, the tumour exhibits spherical growth. In contrast, under hypoglycemic conditions, the tumour alters its morphology, extending towards areas of higher nutrient supply to survive.