Scientists have developed sophisticated mathematical models that can predict the chemical conditions surrounding cancer cells, offering researchers a powerful new tool to design more effective experiments and treatments.
The tumour microenvironment – the immediate surroundings of cancer cells – plays a crucial role in how cancers grow and resist treatment. However, measuring its precise chemical composition has been notoriously difficult, as it depends on complex factors including cancer metabolism and blood flow.
Researchers, funded by Bowel Research UK, have now created freely accessible computational tools that can simulate these conditions with unprecedented accuracy. The models can predict the plausible range and relationship between two critical features of the tumour microenvironment: acidity and hypoxia (low oxygen levels).
What sets these models apart is their ability to link cancer cell metabolism, tissue geometry and blood flow to forecast realistic acidity levels and the delicate carbon dioxide–bicarbonate balance within tumours. Cancer biology is highly sensitive to both acidity and oxygen levels, making accurate predictions essential for understanding how tumours behave.
Lead researcher, Professor Pawel Swietach, at the University of Oxford, said: “With interactive tools, scientists can gain a better understanding of tumour microenvironment dynamics. A more informed understanding of tumour microenvironment biology ultimately benefits patients by ensuring that efforts to develop therapies are grounded by robust experiments, constrained to replicate conditions in tumours.”
The tools are designed to help researchers design better experiments that yield more insightful results, potentially accelerating the development of new cancer therapies by ensuring laboratory conditions more closely mirror the reality inside actual tumours.
Read more about this research in the journal BioEssays, here.