Computational Models and Simulations of Cancer Metastasis

The dawn of the new era in precise diagnostic devices and personalized cancer treatment is intertwined with computational models capable of integrating biochemical factors and biophysical processes to simulate and predict cancer progression. In the last decade, thanks to the increase in the computational power, the development of more sophisticated and realistic models has gained attention in cancer research. These computational models can advance our fundamental understandings of the complicated processes involved in metastasis, as a challenging stage for cancer treatment, and can provide new means for developing novel tools for predicting cancer progression. Considering the potential of these models and the plethora of recent computational models of different steps of the metastasis process, this timely review provides an up-to-date outlook of novel approaches, identifies research gaps and suggests future research directions. This review focuses on physics-based approaches for modeling metastasis process and covers recent computational models and frameworks related to all steps of metastasis from primary tumor growth to secondary tumor formation. In this review, computational models and simulations are classified based on their targeted step of metastasis. Tumor growth and tumor-induced angiogenesis together are considered as a necessary primary step for the metastasis cascade that has four steps: the intravasation of an individual tumor cell into circulatory system, circulation of the cell, arrest and extravasation, and eventually colonization and formation of a metastatic tumor.