Analysis of a nonlinear free-boundary tumor model with angiogenesis and a connection between the nonnecrotic and necrotic phases

Abstract

This paper is concerned with a nonlinear free boundary problem modeling the growth of spherically symmetric tumors with angiogenesis, set with a Robin boundary condition. In which, both nonnecrotic tumors and necrotic tumors are taken into consideration. The well-posedness and asymptotic behavior of solutions are studied. It is shown that there exist two thresholds, denoted by $\tilde\sigma$ and $\sigma^*$, on the surrounding nutrient concentration $\bar\sigma$. If $\bar\sigma\leq\tilde\sigma$, then the considered problem admits no stationary solution and all evolutionary tumors will finally vanish, while if $\bar\sigma>\tilde\sigma$, then it admits a unique stationary solution and all evolutionary tumors will converge to this dormant tumor; moreover, the dormant tumor is nonnecrotic if $\tilde\sigma<\bar\sigma\leq\sigma^*$ and necrotic if $\bar\sigma>\sigma^*$. The connection and mutual transition between the nonnecrotic and necrotic phases are also given.