A model of tumor growth coupling a cellular biomodel with biomechanical simulations

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to present the development of a multi-scale and multiphysics approach to tumor growth. An existing biomodel used for clinical tumor growth and response to treatment has been coupled with a biomechanical model. The macroscopic mechanical model is used to provide directions of least pressure in the tissue, which drives the geometrical evolution of the tumor predicted at the cellular level. The combined model has been applied to the case of brain and lung tumors. Results indicated that the coupled approach provides additional morphological information on the realistic tumor shape when the tumor is located in regions of tissue inhomogeneity. The approach might be used in oncosimulators for tumor types where the morphometry information plays a major role in the treatment and surgical planning.