A Hallmark-Integrated, Agent-Based Framework for Intratumor Heterogeneity in Melanoma Evolution
by Khola Jamshad, Trachette L. Jackson
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We introduce a computational model that uses biologically informed cell behaviors to simulate how genetic diversity within a single tumor shapes its growth and structure over time. The model accounts for mutation-specific advantages, and interactions between tumor and immune cells. Focusing on melanoma, we find that simulated tumors can develop three distinct levels of heterogeneity, influenced by how frequently new mutations arise and by the tumor’s ability to attract immune cells. We also show that tumor cell movement is necessary to reproduce the complex tumor shapes observed in patients. Together, these findings provide a framework for building patient-specific tumor models that connect genetic information to tumor behavior.
A scheme for the BEP-HIM agent-based model for tumor evolution with key findings for melanoma.
