Modeling low-intensity ultrasound mechanotherapy impact on growing cancer stem cells

TL;DR

This paper develops a multiscale computational model to investigate how low-intensity ultrasound affects cancer stem cell behavior and tumor dynamics, revealing mechanisms that could enhance targeted cancer therapies.

Contribution

It introduces a novel multiscale model capturing tumor response to LIUS, advancing understanding of mechanotransduction and tumor microenvironment interactions.

Findings

LIUS influences cancer cell proliferation and migration

The model reveals redistribution of cellular stresses within tumors

Results suggest LIUS as a promising targeted therapy modality

Abstract

Targeted therapeutic interventions utilizing low-inten\-sity ultrasound (LIUS) exhibit substantial potential for hindering the proliferation of cancer stem cells. This investigation introduces a multiscale model and computational framework to comprehensively explore the therapeutic LIUS on poroelastic tumor dynamics, thereby unraveling the intricacies of mechanotransduction mechanisms at play. Our model includes both macroscopic timescales encompassing days and rapid timescales spanning from microseconds to seconds, facilitating an in-depth comprehension of tumor behavior. We unveil the discerning suppression or reorientation of cancer cell proliferation and migration, enhancing a notable redistribution of cellular phases and stresses within the tumor microenvironment. Our findings defy existing paradigms by elucidating the impact of LIUS on cancer stem cell behavior. This endeavor advances our fundamental understanding of mechanotransduction phenomena in the context of LIUS therapy, thus underscoring its promising as a targeted therapeutic modality for cancer treatment. Furthermore, our results make a substantial contribution to the broader scientific community by shedding light on the intricate interplay between mechanical forces, cellular responses, and the spatiotemporal evolution of tumors. These insights hold the promising to promote a new perspective for the future development of pioneering and highly efficacious therapeutic strategies for combating cancer in a personalized manner.