Hybrid multi-scale modeling of brain tumor progression

Glioblastoma multiforme are aggressive brain tumors that grow rapidly with remarkable invasive properties [1]. Median survival for patients receiving optimal treatment (which includes surgical resection, radiation, and chemotherapy) is only about 12 months, with a very small chance of long term survival [2]. The dismal prognosis for patients diagnosed with glioblastoma has sparked considerable efforts, clinically and otherwise, to understand the progression of this disease [3-9]. Mathematical models and computational tools are increasingly being accepted in cancer research as aids for visualizing and integrating information, testing different mechanism hypotheses and suggesting optimal treatment strategies [10-18].