Super-Linear Growth Reveals the Allee Effect in Tumors

Abstract

Integrating experimental data into ecological models plays a central role in understanding biological mechanisms that drive tumor progression where such knowledge can be used to develop new therapeutic strategies. While the current studies emphasize the role of competition among tumor cells, they fail to explain recently observed super-linear growth dynamics across human tumors. Here we study tumor growth dynamics by developing a model that incorporates evolutionary dynamics inside tumors with tumor-microenvironment interactions. Our results reveal that tumor cells' ability to manipulate the environment and induce angiogenesis drives super-linear growth -- a process compatible with the Allee effect. In light of this understanding, our model suggests that for high-risk tumors that have a higher growth rate, suppressing angiogenesis can be the appropriate therapeutic intervention.