The population dynamics of cancer incidence: The model of a second-order phase transition

Abstract

This paper considers an approach to the description of the age-specific and time-dependent dynamics of cancer incidence. This approach is based on a model that describes the age-specific dynamics of cancer as a phase transition of the second order and is widely used in the study of physical systems. The proposed model of cancer development as the second-order phase transitions is quite consistent with the data of medical statistics, is well described using only two free parameters, easily verified by the statistical data, and is interpreted well. The applicability of the model of second-order phase transitions to the description of the processes in the nonphysical systems is likely to be determined by the versatile nature of the processes that occur during the phase transitions.