Mathematical Model for Muscle wasting in cancer cachexia

Speaker: Dr. Suzan Farhang Sardroodi (Ryerson)
Title: Mathematical Model for Muscle wasting in cancer cachexia
Abstract: Cancer cachexia is a severe condition, characterized by the irreversible loss of skele-
tal muscle and adipose tissues, that is estimated to affect more than 50-80% of cancer
patients, and to be responsible for 20% of all cancer related mortalities. The standard
understanding of cachexia is based on nutritional arguments, and describes a disregulated
cellular metabolism. As such, existing mathematical models focus on metabolic balances.
However, a new appreciation is forming for cancer-derived signaling factors that circulate
through the host and may disrupt tissue function and homeostasis. Here, we present a
novel mathematical model to explore the role of systemic cancer signaling in the develop-
ment of cachexia. The model describes stem-cell regulated muscle tissue using ordinary
differential equations and feedback control. I will discuss our model parameterization
strategy, and then present model predictions on potential effects of cancer-derived factors
through numerical simulation and sensitivity analysis. We then use our combined mod-
elling results to identify potential treatment options. As no known cure exists for cancer
cachexia, it is hoped that uncovering cancer-derived systemic factors that disregulate tis-
sue homeostasis, will lead to the development of new targeted therapies with the potential
to impact quality of life for many cancer patients.