How Can Understanding Tumor Dynamics Lead to Better Treatment Strategies?

[Clausius2]

Maybe you're interested on reading this article.

Perhaps we need some sinergy of knowledges when fighting against this diseases.

https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?p=587417#post587417

 

[Monique]

What article?

 

[JamesU]

he out the url in LAtex type it into the url bar to see the page

 

[Monique]

why would you put it in Latex.. here is the link https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?p=587417post587417

I don't see how a formula describing tumor growth is going to help fight the disease. It is true that there is a field called biomedical engineering. A friend of mine worked on describing cell spreading with a formula. Experimental data can be used to make tiny artificial bloodvessels.

 

[Clausius2]

why would you put it in Latex.. here is the link https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?p=587417post587417

I don't see how a formula describing tumor growth is going to help fight the disease. It is true that there is a field called biomedical engineering. A friend of mine worked on describing cell spreading with a formula. Experimental data can be used to make tiny artificial bloodvessels.

Oops, sorry for my dumbness. I have changed it right now.

To say the truth I don't understand nothing of the topic. I hoped you could bring light to it and explain it to a layman (me). The event has been the next: some time ago this guy developed this theory (it must be underlined this guy is not a freak, he works at CSIC the national research institution), he has been testing it with isolated cells, and currently news have announced his team has saved the life to a terminal cancer patient using in some way this theory. When I have more information I will feedback this thread.

I do see how an applied mathematician and a simple "formula" as you see it can help to cancer research. Although I am layman in this field, I can guess some light about tumor behavior can help cancer researchers. I will try to gather more information and see what is happening.

Anyway your scepticism is welcome. I am sceptic too about this kind of advances. I hear everyday similar things, but this surprised me due to the nature of the researcher, whose area of expertise could seem faraway from
this field. And as this is a physics forum, I thought it was worth to mention.

 

[quetzalcoatl9]

I don't see how a formula describing tumor growth is going to help fight the disease

did you even read the article? there is a followup posted below.

why are biologists so afraid of mathematical concepts entering their domain? afterall, it only took a good 20 years before basic biochemistry techniques became used by cell biologists who then renamed themselves
"molecular biologists" to distinguish themselves from their outdated colleagues. maybe it is time for them to step aside and let the new generation work on cures for diseases.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Tuesday, May 31, 2005
Spanish scientists use maths to cure terminal liver cancer

By using a mathematical formula formula designed to strengthen the immune system, a team of scientists in Spain have succeeded in curing a patient who was in the last stage of terminal liver cancer.

The team of researchers from the Complutense University in Madrid believe that this discovery could open new doors for the treatment of solid cancerous tumours.

The new treatment was developed in 1998 by a team led by Antonio Bru, a physicist who bases his theory on the idea that the evolution of solid tumors depends on a mathematical equation which defines their biological growth. An equation is then obtained in the laboratory and used to design a therapy to destroy the tumor.

The scientists, who have carried out successful tests on mice over the past few years, announced yesterday that the only human experiment they have carried out so far has been a complete success.

Apparantly the patient was suffering from liver cancer which had been diagnosed by his doctors as terminal and in its final stage. The scientists used a mathematical formula to create a treatment based on neutrofiles that strengthened the patient's immune system. The patient responded well to the treatment immediately and has since made a total recovery and has returned to work.

The treatment produces no side effects.The Spanish scientists believe that their theory could be applied to treat all kinds of solid tumors although they will need to carry out many more tests on human patients before they can be sure.

Update 1/06/2005:

Today, the Complutense University (whose switchboards have apparently been innundated with phone calls from people wanting to find out more about this news item) has published a communication on its website with a brief communication from Prof. Antonio Bru. The full article is here. Below is a translation of Professor Bru's brief note which appears at the end of the article:

Given the expectation generated by the news of the publication of the article Regulation of neutrophilia by granulocyte colony-stimulating factor: a new cancer therapy that reversed a case of terminal hepatocarcinoma in the Journal of Clinical Research, I would like to make the following points:

1) The proposed treatment is still at an experimental stage and needs much wider experimentation before it can be validated.

2) For this reason, at this moment there is no treatment protocol which enables it to be applied as a general treatment.

3) Given that it is impossible for the Complutense University of Madrid to answer all the phone calls received, and bearing in mind how they can disrupt normal teaching and research activity, please send any enquiries to the following email address: bru@mat.ucm.es
Dr. Antonio Brú, Departamento de Matemática Aplicada
Facultad de Ciencias Matemáticas, Universidad Complutense de Madrid

Related:
The Universal Dynamics of Tumor Growth by Antonio Bru and his team of researchers.

posted by Euroresidentes, Spain. @ 11:30 AM

 

[Clausius2]

Great comment quetzalcoatl9!

The reference quetzalcoatl9 has posted comes directly from the Universidad Complutense at Madrid (one of the oldest universities of our country). The last lines are written by Antonio Brú.

Anyway, he has pointed out that population must be cautious about this advance. It will take a long time to prove it in a massive way, so until then some scepticism is welcome.

I am not an specialist in this stuff, but I think it will be necessary this sinergy of knowledges to advance in Science. If anybody has some comment or want to explain some of this stuff to a layman like me, he/she will be welcome.

 

[Monique]

did you even read the article? there is a followup posted below.

I did read the intro and the discussion.

why are biologists so afraid of mathematical concepts entering their domain?

I'm not, why do mathematicians think that biology can be solved with a formula. I'm still not sure what help the formula is, I'd have to read the article in more detail. Maybe you can give me a suggestion what the exact application is?

Given the expectation generated by the news of the publication of the article Regulation of neutrophilia by granulocyte colony-stimulating factor: a new cancer therapy that reversed a case of terminal hepatocarcinoma in the Journal of Clinical Research

I tried looking up the article, but it is not present in the pubmed database.

 

[quetzalcoatl9]

Well, thanks for the original post, Clausius. I have been following this work in both the mainstream news and in the journals for some time now.

My research group works closely with professionals in the area of cancer research.

It is worthy of mention that Spain has an excellent reputation for cutting-edge cancer research. I am familiar with researchers there investigating cell signaling pathways (Akt/PI3K) and also novel anti-cancer natural products (such as the dihydrodidemnin B).

 

[Monique]

I'm not, why do mathematicians think that biology can be solved with a formula. I'm still not sure what help the formula is, I'd have to read the article in more detail. Maybe you can give me a suggestion what the exact application is?

I'm still waiting for an explanation.

 

[Clausius2]

I'm still waiting for an explanation.

Well, as you might imagine I cannot give you a formal explanation, because I have NO idea about Biology. I feel like an alumni talking with Einstein about Relativity Theory. Sure you can (or you cannot) explain if it has any utility than me.
----------------
quoted from quetzcoalt9 post:
"The scientists used a mathematical formula to create a treatment based on neutrofiles that strengthened the patient's immune system. The patient responded well to the treatment immediately and has since made a total recovery and has returned to work."
--------------------------

As engineer and as science man, the unique thing I can say is that bringing light about how is the dynamic behavior of a tumor, stating its evolution is universal rather than concrete (as it was thought), that its evolution yields an equation which is well structured, all of these have brought some interesting conlcusions. Talking in gross words, it seems that communicating external mechanical pressure to the tumor can reduce its growth. In particular Bru has worked out the growth dynamics, which seem to be concentrated only the external boundary of the tumor. Also he mentioned that traditional cell kinetics inside tumor are mistaken, and I think the article I have referred talks about this new cell kinetics. Its profits not only go to Biology. His work also pulls Fractal Theory to foreground. The tumor boundary seems to behavior like a Fractal Curve.

In conclusion, knowing the EXACT dynamics of a tumor could enhance a better understanding about its growth. As you should realize yourself, any mathematical knowledge of any system is the first step to achieve a complete control over it.

Again, take my words as said by a layman as far as Biology is concerned. And this is not a battle also between biologicists and physicists. Such battles are not benefitial for Science's health.