David Basanta
Moffitt Cancer Center
Tumor Heterogeneity: Insights from Game Theory
[When and where]
Cancer is a disease driven by Darwinian evolution. Our increasing understanding of the role of intra-tumour heterogeneity shows that more heterogeneous tumours translate into worse prognoses. Also in cancers that are more likely to evolve resistance to existing and targeted treatments. The interactions between different cell types influence the fitness of the different tumour phenotypes and drive tumour evolution. Understanding these interactions requires the right mathematical tools. Evolutionary Game Theory is an ideal tool in which to model and explore the role of interactions between players. By simplyfing the dynamics of cancer to changes in the fitness of interacting cells it is possible to identify the key interactions that explain cancer progression. In this talk I will show some examples of games that tumour cells play and show how the dynamics (using replicator equations) and long term evolution (in the shape of evolutionary equilibria) can yield important cues that are relevant to mathematical oncologists, experimental and clinical researchers alike.
Invited talk Mini-symposium 13
Updated May 15, 2015, by Minus