3D Particle Simulation on Cancer Growth and Angiogenesis - Using 2D Blood Vessel Image

Abstract

There is a close relation between cancer growth and angiogenesis. It is necessary to make the new blood vessel for supplying nutrition in cancer growth. By producing a growth factor oneself, angiogenesis is stimulated to the cancer cell. Thus they grow by interacting each other. As imaging of tumor capillaries proliferation are difficult to observe, we investigate to clarify the phenomenon using numerical simulation. In our study, a three-dimensional particle model is used to simulate the growth of cancer cells and angiogenesis, and to analyze the relationship between them. In this study, 3D growth simulation was carried out using the 2D real blood vessel image of rabbit ear. The analysis confirmed the growth of the tumor vascular network formed with the growth of cancer cells. Considering internal pressure effect to branch condition, the blood vessel network tends to wrap around the surface of a tumor, and blood vessel network seems to be closer to the real image.