Importance of extracellular matrix stiffness and energy in the growth of cancer in humans

Abstract

Extracellular matrix (ECM) is considered essential for wound healing processes, but excessive matrix deposition can result in organ dysfunction, as has been observed with fibrotic disease. ECM stiffness has been shown to play critical role in encouraging a tumor microenvironment and increased stiffness being a main feature associated with tumor development. The growth of cancer through mechanical/chemical/ electrical and biological properties in discussed. A mathematical model is developed in which use of energy is made to link the mass of the stiff tissues with the aggression velocity for the growth of cancer in humans. Implicit solution of the modeled differential equation is derived. It is shown analytically that product of model parameters: initial infection growth proportion P0(I) , time for highest cancer growth rate tc, the growth parameter Y and level off value L turns out to be constant. The control and possible treatment strategies are also obtained analytically through the time of highest growth rate, maximum estimated cancer growth proportion and level off value.