An Agent-based Model of Ductal Carcinoma in situ (DCIS) and its Validation in a Tissue-engineered Model of DCIS

초록

Breast cancer often begins in the breast as ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). DCIS is the most common precursor to invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) that is considered the second main cause of death in women in the States. The tumor and its microenvironments including biochemical and biomechanical factors interact with each other and these interactions play a primary role in tumor initiation, growth, and metastasis. These interactions consist of complex relations between tumor cells, soluble factors, and stromal components such as fibroblasts, and extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins. Understanding these relationships may lead to new therapeutic approaches to breast cancer. To improve the understanding of these relations and the progression to metastasis, we have developed a 2D agent based model of DCIS growth and progression to IDC, and compared this with tissue-engineered model of DCIS.