Math in the News
Mathematical Models Simulate Start and Spread of Cancer
Mathematicians at Duke University have developed mathematical models that complement clinical and biological data about the tissue-level effects of the human papillomavirus (HPV), which is associated with cervical cancer.
The models created by Rick Durrett and Marc Ryser simulate the progress of HPV infection by taking into consideration mutations and cellular dynamics that are difficult to observe in actual patients.
Of course, as Ryser notes, the goal of modeling cancer using mathematics is "not to design a model and then run off into 'math land' to make abstract calculations that have nothing to do with the real world." The models may be able to inform decisions about dosing, screening, and treatment schedules.
Read Duke's coverage.