An Insight into Cancer Cells and Disease Progression Through the Lens of Mathematical Modeling

TL;DR

This paper reviews how mathematical models help understand cancer cell behavior and progression through mechanical and biochemical interactions.

Contribution

The paper provides a novel focus on mathematical relationships in cancer mechanobiology and their impact on malignant progression.

Findings

Cancer cells exhibit altered mechanical properties affecting their behavior.

Biochemical and biomechanical interactions influence cancer progression.

Mathematical modeling can reveal key relationships in cancer mechanobiology.

Abstract

During cancer initiation, normal cells acquire mutations disrupting standard cellular processes, activating oncogenes and inactivating tumor suppressor genes, acquiring the well-described hallmarks of cancer on the path to malignancy. This process is influenced by a combination of physiological and metabolic pathways, as well as environmental cues, and leads to abnormal cell cycle, increased cell motility, and invasive characteristics. Cancer cell organelles also present some distinct differences from those of normal cells. Cancer progression requires certain tumorigenic biochemical pathways to be activated. However, mechanical cues are also important, as they have an effect on cell differentiation and fate. A continuous biochemical–biomechanical interaction exists, which affects the mechanical properties of the cells, as well as their behavior. This review aims to focus on the mathematical relationships governing cancer mechanobiology and examine how the altered mechanical properties of a cancer cell may affect malignant progression.

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