Tumor Growth Kinetics

Abstract

OverviewKineticsis the study of movement and changes in magnitude over time. Kinetics is a central concept in oncology; cancer progression reflects changes in cancer cell numbers, metastatic sites, and tumor mass as a function of time. It is the purpose of this chapter to illustrate both the practical applications and theoretical implications of one aspect of kinetics—tumor growth kinetics. Just as time and space are inextricably linked so too are growth kinetics and the tumor's microenvironment. Here we review the kinetics of cellular proliferation and population growth, finding a theoretical basis for improved practices in cancer chemotherapy.