A New Weapon in the Fight Against Cancer: Math

While falling down my daily rabbit hole of applied mathematics, I came across an incredible article about cancer research. I had to drop everything to share it here.

A Game Changing Model

The article, published by the University of Waterloo in Canada is called New 3D-Printed Tumor Model Enables Faster, Less Expensive and Less Painful Cancer Treatment.

The research team, led by applied mathematics professor Mohammad Kohandel, used 3D modeling as a tool for cancer treatment – potentially changing the game. The article notes that traditional treatment involves taking biopsies of a patient’s tumor. However, in situations where it is heterogeneous – aka it contains multiple types of cancer cells – a biopsy may not include all cell types. The result? A higher likelihood of improper treatment.

But this research introduces a different technique. In it, a 3D printer replicates biological material by layering different cancer cells onto a chip – essentially a replicated environment of where the tumor would be inside the body. This creates a 3D model of the tumor where scientists can test different treatments in the presence of both a complex model and its actual environment.

This 3D model is genuinely incredible, and its impact could be massive. According to Statista, an American male has a 41% chance of developing invasive cancer, while a female’s odds are 39%. In 2023 alone, almost 609,000 Americans have had a cancer-related death.

This model gives doctors a more complete picture of what is going on for each patient. And to think: it was built using applied math.

The Numbers Don’t Lie

Those cancer statistics are shockingly high. While it is clear that more research is necessary for the long-term health of humankind, this 3D model shows that tapping into applied math has the potential to save countless lives.