Investigation of the essential role of platelet-tumor cell interactions in metastasis progression using an agent-based model.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Metastatic tumors are a major source of morbidity and mortality for most cancers. Interaction of circulating tumor cells with endothelium, platelets and neutrophils play an important role in the early stages of metastasis formation. These complex dynamics have proven difficult to study in experimental models. Prior computational models of metastases have focused on tumor cell growth in a host environment, or prediction of metastasis formation from clinical data. We used agent-based modeling (ABM) to dynamically represent hypotheses of essential steps involved in circulating tumor cell adhesion and interaction with other circulating cells, examine their functional constraints, and predict effects of inhibiting specific mechanisms.

Methods

We developed an ABM of Ear

SUBMITTER: Uppal A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4022382 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature