Application of combination chemotherapy in two dimensional tumor growth model with heterogeneous vasculature

Abstract

We simulate the dynamics of a growing, vascular tumor with a heterogeneous vasculature and its behaviour under combination chemotherapy. The studied model includes two spatial dimensions, treating the system as a multiphase, viscous fluid. The vascular phase is split in young and mature vessels, in order to depict capillary formations in the tissue. Diffusible molecular species are considered, complementary to the fluid's phases, so as to simulate nutrient supply and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) signaling in angiogenesis. Simulations succeed in recreating the spatial distribution of VEGF and underline the importance of chemotaxis to the tumor's nutrient supply. Furthermore, we simulate the effect of anti-VEGF therapy using the drug bevacizumab and combination therapy using bevacizumab with the cytotoxic agent docetaxel. Anti-VEGF treatment appears to slow tumor progression while, combination therapy manages to completely halt it and even leads to tumor shrinkage. Finally, we contemplate on the prospect of scheduling optimisation.