Study shows new way to predict tumor growth

April 18 (UPI) -- Researchers at The University of Texas at San Antonio have created an algorithm that can predict the growth of cancerous tumors.

The study was led by Professor Yusheng Feng in mechanical engineering at UTSA. In earlier research, Feng predicted outcomes of cancer treatments that utilize laser technology.

"In that project, we were using the heat of a laser to kill the cancer cells of the tumor," Feng said in a press release. "We had to use a computer simulation to show the amount of heat we were going to use and for how long, so we didn't damage any non-cancerous tissue."

Feng and his team collaborated with researchers at MD Anderson Cancer Center to create an algorithm that accounts for major biological events in the tissue and cells of a patient, along with patterns of growth of several different types of cells, among dozens of other factors.

"One of the biggest advantages you can give a doctor and their patient is knowing how fast a tumor is growing," Feng said. "This helps you make the decision of not just when to treat someone, but also how to treat them. Outcome prediction is always good especially when it is reliable. And knowing the outcome of the treatment can be very beneficial."

The next step is to apply the algorithm to a computer program that can help medical professionals in deciding which treatments would be the most effective.

"Tumor cells are nothing but normal cells out of control that have migrated to the wrong place," Feng said. "That's why cancer is so hard to treat: It's your own cells."

The study was published in Computer Methods in Applied Mechanics and Engineering.