Environmental physical modulation of intrinsic tendency to growth of Multicellular Tumour Spheroids: in silico experiments

Lowering in nutrient local availability and rising in host mechanical rigidity are two distinct boundary conditions that affect the growth of solid a-vascular cancers in similar ways (inhibition of growth). In silico experiments based on a physical-mathematical model can shed light on some of the mechanisms at the basis of these effects and suggest that the self-organizing properties of neoplastic populations are greatly modulated by environmental restrictions.