Mathematics Commons^™

Quantitative Interpretation Of A Genetic Model Of Carcinogenesis Using Computer Simulations, Donghai Dai, Brandon Beck, Xiaofang Wang, Cory Howk, Yi Li

Donghai Dai

The genetic model of tumorigenesis by Vogelstein et al. (V theory) and the molecular definition of cancer hallmarks by Hanahan and Weinberg (W theory) represent two of the most comprehensive and systemic understandings of cancer. Here, we develop a mathematical model that quantitatively interprets these seminal cancer theories, starting from a set of equations describing the short life cycle of an individual cell in uterine epithelium during tissue regeneration. The process of malignant transformation of an individual cell is followed and the tissue (or tumor) is described as a composite of individual cells in order to quantitatively account for intra-tumor …