MODELING HORMONE-DEPENDENT CELL-CELL INTERACTIONS IN TUMOR-GROWTH - ASIMULATION STUDY

We present a mathematical model of hormone-dependent tumor growth such as estrogen-dependent breast carcinoma. We hypothesize that estrogens regulate growth by modulation of cell-cell interactions. These intera ctions are mediated by soluble and membrane bound growth factors and i nhibitors, cellular junctions and changes of cell shape. Perturbation of hormone concentration at different stages of growth is proposed for testing the role of cell-cell interactions in regulation of growth. A mathematical model is formulated to account for the data resulting fr om the perturbation protocol. Simulation studies demonstrated that par ameters describing the behavior of this complex system could be derive d with adequate accuracy from data with errors within the range usuall y observed in similar experiments.