The role of acidity in solid tumour growth and invasion.

Journal article

Acidic pH is a common characteristic of human tumours. It has a significant impact on tumour progression and response to therapies. In this paper, we develop a simple model of three-dimensional tumour growth to examine the role of acidosis in the interaction between normal and tumour cell populations. Both vascular and avascular tumour dynamics are investigated, and a number of different behaviours are observed. Whilst an avascular tumour always proceeds to a benign steady state, a vascular tumour may display either benign or invasive dynamics, depending on the value of a critical parameter. Analysis of the model allows us to assess novel therapies directed towards changing the level of acidity within the tumour.

Authors: Smallbone, K; Gavaghan, D; Gatenby, R; Maini, P

• Publication status: Published
• Journal: Journal of theoretical biology
• Volume: 235
• Issue: 4
• Pages: 476-484
• Publication date: 2005-08-01
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jtbi.2005.02.001
• EISSN: 1095-8541
• ISSN: 0022-5193
• Language: English
• Keywords: Neoplasms; Disease Progression; Neoplasm Invasiveness; Humans; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Cell Proliferation; Neovascularization, Pathologic; Necrosis; Models, Biological