A fractional diffusion equation model for cancer tumor

Abstract

In this article, we consider cancer tumor models and investigate the need for fractional order derivative as compared to the classical first order derivative in time. Three different cases of the net killing rate are taken into account including the case where net killing rate of the cancer cells is dependent on the concentration of the cells. At first, we use a relatively new analytical technique called q-Homotopy Analysis Method on the resulting time-fractional partial differential equations to obtain analytical solution in form of convergent series with easily computable components. Our numerical analysis enables us to give some recommendations on the appropriate order (fractional) of derivative in time to be used in modeling cancer tumor.