Adaptive responses of cancer cells to tumor microenvironment changes: an evolutionary model perspective

Evolution has always driven species change. The most interesting manifestations of evolution arise from natural selection, that favors the settling of more suitable species at the expense of others. This also occurs in cancer, where the hostile environment drives cancer cells to evolve to acquire favorable traits, phenotypes, in order to enlarge their species. A therapy can render the environment hostile, thus the physician’s role in limiting cell growth while considering their evolution is crucial. In this paper, we focus on the formalization and analysis of a novel eco-evolutionary model of cancer cells, enriched by biological considerations. Simulations validate the model and show how the