Mechanotransduction in tumor dynamics modeling
Beatriz Blanco, Héctor Gómez, Juan Manuel Melchor Rodríguez, Roberto Palma, Juan Soler, Guillermo Rus
Abstract
Mechanotherapy is a groundbreaking approach to impact carcinogenesis. Cells sense and respond to mechanical stimuli, translating them into biochemical signals in a process known as mechanotransduction. The impact of stress on tumor growth has been studied in the last three decades, and many papers highlight the role of mechanics as a critical self-inducer of tumor fate at the in vitro and in vivo biological levels. Meanwhile, mathematical models attempt to determine laws to reproduce tumor dynamics. This review discusses biological mechanotransduction mechanisms and mathematical-biomechanical models together. The aim is to provide a common framework for the different approaches that have emerged in the literature from the perspective of tumor avascularity and to provide insight into emerging mechanotherapies that have attracted interest in recent years.