Moffitt logo
    Search

    Choose a type to search within:

    All Doctors Clinical Trials Researchers
    search icon
    • Schedule
      New Patients
       
      Referring Physicians
    • Locations
      Magnolia
       
      McKinley
       
      Wesley Chapel
       
      International Plaza
       
      Moffitt at Memorial
       
      Fowler
       
      Telecomm/Intellicenter
    • Find a Doctor
    • MyMoffitt Portal
      Log In
       
      Enroll
    • Donate
    • 1-888-663-3488
    • image Search
    • Cancer Types & Treatments
        Cancers We Treat
      • Adrenal
      • Anal
      • Appendiceal (Appendix)
      • Astrocytoma
      • Basal Cell Carcinoma
      • Bladder
      • Bone Metastasis
      • Brain
      • Brain Tumor
      • Breast
      • Cervical
      • Cholangiocarcinoma (Bile Duct )
      • Colon
      • Colorectal
      • Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma
      • Ductal Carcinoma In Situ
      • Endometrial (Uterine)
      • Esophageal
      • Gallbladder
      • Gastrointestinal Carcinoid Tumor
      • GIST (Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor)
      • Glioblastoma
      • Head and Neck
      • HER2 Positive Breast
      • Hodgkin Lymphoma
      • Inflammatory Breast
      • Invasive Ductal Carcinoma
      • Kidney (Renal Cell)
      • Leukemia
      • Liver (Hepatocellular)
      • Lung
      • Lymphomas (Hodgkin and Non-Hodgkin)
      • Melanoma
      • Meningioma
      • Merkel Cell Carcinoma
      • Mesothelioma
      • Metastatic Breast
      • Multiple Myeloma-Plasma Cell Tumor
      • Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS)
      • Neuroendocrine Tumor
      • Neurofibromatosis
      • Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma
      • Oral Cavity (Mouth)
      • Oral Cavity or Throat
      • Osteosarcoma
      • Ovarian
      • Pancoast Tumor
      • Pancreatic
      • Penile
      • Pituitary Adenoma
      • Prostate
      • Rectal
      • Sarcoma
      • Skin (Nonmelanoma)
      • Skull Base Tumors
      • Small Intestine
      • Spinal Tumor
      • Squamous Cell Carcinoma
      • Stomach (Gastric)
      • Testicular
      • Throat
      • Thymoma
      • Thyroid
      • Tongue
      • Tracheal
      • Triple Negative Breast
      • Vaginal
      • Vulvar
        Cancer Diagnostics and Treatments
      • Blood & Bone Marrow Transplant
      • Cardio-Oncology
      • Chemotherapy
      • Clinical Pathways
      • Clinical Trials
      • Endoscopic Procedures
      • Fertility Preservation
      • Gynecologic Oncology
      • Immunotherapy
      • Interventional Pain Management
      • Interventional Radiology
      • Personalized Medicine
      • Pharmacy
      • Radiation Therapy
      • Rehabilitation Services
      • Supportive Care Medicine
      • Surgical Care
      • Systemic Therapy
      • Targeted Therapy
      • Tumor Board
        Diagnostic Services
      • Radiology – Diagnostic Imaging and Interventional Radiology
      • Genetic Counseling and Genetic Testing
      • Pathology
      • Labwork and Bloodwork
      • Cancer Screenings
    • Patients & Families
        Patients and Families Resources Overview
      • International Referral Services
      • Moffitt Virtual Visits
      • Taking Care of Your Health
        Preparing For Your Appointment
      • Scheduling Your Appointment
      • MyMoffitt Patient Portal
      • Patient and Family Orientation
      • Patient Rights and Responsibilities
      • Medical Records
      • Traveling for Cancer Treatment
        Insurance & Financial Information
      • Insurance Coverage
      • Health Exchange
      • Medicare Coverage
      • Copay Assistance Program
      • Financial Assistance
      • Financial Information
      • Obtain a Cost Estimate
      • Understanding Your Bill
      • Frequently Asked Questions
        Programs & Support Services
        Patient and Family-Centered Care
        Cancer Survivorship
        Caregivers and Families
    • For Healthcare Professionals
        For Healthcare Professionals Overview
      • Clinical Perspectives
        Programs & Services
      • Adolescent & Young Adult (AYA)
      • Anesthesiology
      • BMT and Cellular Immunotherapy
      • Breast Oncology
      • Cardio-Oncology
      • Cutaneous Oncology
      • Diagnostic Imaging and Interventional Radiology
      • Endocrine Oncology
      • Gastrointestinal Oncology
      • Genetic Counseling
      • Genitourinary Oncology
      • Gynecologic Oncology
      • Head and Neck Oncology
      • Immunotherapy
      • Malignant Hematology
      • Moffitt Malignant Hematology & Cellular Therapy at Memorial Healthcare System
      • Neuro-Oncology
      • Pathology
      • Pharmacy
      • Radiation Oncology
      • Sarcoma
      • Screening & Prevention
      • Senior Adult Oncology
      • Supportive Care Medicine
      • Thoracic Oncology
        Physician Relations
        Continuing Education
      • Provider Conferences
      • Moffitt Grand Rounds
      • Multidisciplinary Programs
    • Research
        Research Overview
        CCSG Programs
      • Cancer Biology and Evolution
      • Cancer Epidemiology
      • Health Outcomes & Behavior
      • Immuno-Oncology
      • Molecular Medicine
        Divisions and Departments
      • Biostatistics and Bioinformatics
      • Cancer Epidemiology
      • Drug Discovery
      • Health Outcomes and Behavior
      • Immunology
      • Integrated Mathematical Oncology
      • Machine Learning
      • Metabolism and Physiology
      • Molecular Oncology
      • Tumor Biology
        Centers and Institutes
      • Institutes
      • Centers of Excellence
        Shared Resources
      • Analytic Microscopy
      • Biostatistics and Bioinformatics
      • Cancer Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics
      • Cell Therapies
      • Chemical Biology
      • Collaborative Data Services
      • Flow Cytometry
      • Gene Targeting
      • Molecular Genomics
      • Participant Research, Interventions, and Measurement Core (PRISM)
      • Proteomics and Metabolomics
      • Quantitative Imaging Core
      • Small Animal Imaging Lab
      • Tissue
        Research Education and Training
      • Office of Postdoctoral Affairs
      • Office of Graduate Affairs
      • Office of Undergraduate and Visiting Scholar Affairs
      • What We Provide
        Community Outreach, Engagement, and Equity
      • About Us
      • Catchment Area Cancer Data
      • Moffitt Outreach in the Community
      • Research in the Community
      • Education and Outreach Resources
      • Get Involved
        Innovation and Industry Alliances
      • Available Technologies
      • Business of Biotech
      • Events
      • Internship Programs
      • Technology And Innovation Fund
      • Contact Us
    • Training & Education
        Training and Education Overview
      • Moffitt Innovators of Tomorrow Symposium
        Medical Education
      • Program Staff/Contact Us
      • Our Training Programs
      • Salary and Benefits
        Research Education and Training
      • Office of Postdoctoral Affairs
      • Office of Graduate Affairs
      • Office of Undergraduate and Visiting Scholar Affairs
      • What We Provide
      • Where Are They Now
        Nursing Education
      • Oncology Nurse Residency Program
      • Ambulatory Care Oncology Nurse Residency Program
      • Registered Nurse
      • Nurse Anesthetist
      • Nurse Practitioner
        Health Professional Education
        Continuing Education
        Other Educational Programs
    • Give
        Give Overview
        Ways to Give
      • Cash, Stock or Other Assets
      • Planned Giving
      • Philanthropic Foundation Giving
      • Corporate Partnership
      • Employer Matching Gifts
      • Endowment Gifts
      • Other Ways to Donate
        Get Involved
      • Become a Member
      • Join a Community Partner Event
      • Volunteer Your Time
      • Miles for Moffitt
      • Magnolia
      • Mission Possible Sarasota Luncheon
      • Discovery Series Webinars
        Why Give?
      • About the Moffitt Foundation
      • FAQ
      • Financials and Stewardship
      • Contact the Foundation
      • You Can Make a Difference
      • 2021 Annual Foundation Impact Report
    1. Home
    2. Newsroom
    3. Press Release Archive
    4. 2014
    5. Mathematical Modeling Offers a New Approach to Cancer Treatment, Moffitt Cancer Center Researchers Say
    • click to share
      Facebook
      Twitter
      Linkedin
      Pinterest
      Email
    • click to print

    Mathematical Modeling Offers a New Approach to Cancer Treatment, Moffitt Cancer Center Researchers Say

    January 29, 2014

    TAMPA, Fla. – Mathematicians and biologists at Moffitt Cancer Center have teamed up to advance cancer treatment in a unique way. They are part of the cancer center’s Integrated Mathematical Oncology Program (IMO). The program merges the fields of oncology and mathematics with the goal of using an integrated approach to better understand, predict and treat cancer. Moffitt is the only cancer hospital in the country to have such a program.

    In a review article, published by Frontiers in Oncology, a team led by the Moffitt IMO member Katarzyna A. Rejniak, Ph.D. described the relatively new academic area that studies cancer through mathematical modeling. They explained how the novel approach allows scientists to model how drugs will interact with and penetrate into tumor tissues.

    Cancer is a complicated disease.  A single tumor can have many different genetic mutations and problems in communication pathways that affect tumor cell growth, death and response to treatments.  Distorted vasculature, immune cells and stromal components also influence interstitial transport of drug molecules.  Furthermore, tumors can develop resistance to many targeted therapeutic agents. With these hurdles to overcome, it is estimated that it costs approximately $1 billion for a drug to pass preclinical testing and advance through phase III trials and receive approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. These facts suggest that more advanced approaches are needed to determine how tumors develop and the most effective ways to treat them.

    The IMO program’s approach is to develop mathematical models and computer simulations to link data that is obtained in a laboratory and the clinic. The models can provide insight into which drugs will or will not work in a clinical setting, and how to design more effective drug administration schedules, especially for drug combinations.  The investigators collaborate with experts in the fields of biology, mathematics, computer science, imaging, and clinical science.

    “Limited penetration may be one of the main causes that drugs that showed good therapeutic effect in laboratory experiments fail in clinical trials,” explained Rejniak. “Mathematical modeling can help us understand which tumor, or drug-related factors, hinder the drug penetration process, and how to overcome these obstacles.”  

    Rejniak’s work is supported by the National Institute of Health (U54-CA-143970a), Miles for Moffitt Milestones Award and American Cancer Society Institutional Research Grant Award.

    About Moffitt Cancer Center
    Located in Tampa, Moffitt is one of only 41 National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers, a distinction that recognizes Moffitt’s excellence in research, its contributions to clinical trials, prevention and cancer control. Moffitt is the No. 1 cancer hospital in Florida and has been listed in U.S. News & World Report as one of “America’s Best Hospitals” for cancer since 1999. With more than 4,200 employees, Moffitt has an economic impact on the state of nearly $2 billion. For more information, visit MOFFITT.org, and follow the Moffitt momentum on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

    ###

    Twitter

    Tweets by MoffittNews
    footer logo
    • BROWSE
      • Cancer Types & Treatments
      • Careers
      • Clinical Trials
      • Diagnostic Services
      • Education & Training
      • Locations
      • Patients & Families
      • Research
    • ABOUT
      • About Moffitt
      • Available Technologies
      • Calendar of Events
      • Clinical Perspectives
      • Community Benefit
      • Diversity
      • Endeavor
      • Newsroom
      • Our Outcomes
      • Partnerships
      • Taking Care of Your Health
    • ACTION
      • Appointments
      • Find a Doctor
      • Patient Portal
      • Refer a Patient
      • Referring Provider Portal
      • Staff Login
      • Staff Access
      • Volunteer
      • Ways to Give
    Call Today 1-888-663-3488
    Link to FaceBook
    Facebook
    Link to Twitter
    Twitter
    Link to Instagram
    Instagram
    Link to YouTube
    YouTube
    nci designated comprehensive cancer center award
    nccn award
    magnet recognized award
    diversity inc award
    • Site Map
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions
    • Unsubscribe
    • State Nonprofit Disclosures
    • Donor Privacy
    • Notice of Privacy Practices
    • Visitor Policy
    ©Copyright 2023 Moffitt Cancer Center
    ✕

    Request an Appointment at Moffitt Cancer Center

    Please call 1-888-663-3488 for support from a Moffitt representative. New Patients and Healthcare Professionals can submit an online form by selecting the appropriate button below. Existing patients can call 1-888-663-3488. Click here for a current list of insurances accepted at Moffitt.

    NEW PATIENTS To request a new patient appointment, please fill out the online form or call 1-888-663-3488.

    REFERRING PHYSICIANS Providers and medical staff can refer patients by submitting our online referral form.

    Moffit now offers Virtual Visits for patients. If you are eligible for a virtual appointment, our scheduling team will discuss this option further with you.


    Moffitt Cancer Center is committed to the health and safety of our patients and their families. For more information on how we’re protecting our new and existing patients, visit our COVID-19 Info Hub

    ✕

    Access Your Portal

    For Patients

    A secure website for patients to access their medical care at Moffitt.

    PATIENT PORTAL LOGIN

    For Physicians

    An online resource for referring physicians and their staff.

    PROVIDER PORTAL LOGIN

    For Moffitt Staff

    For Moffitt faculty & staff members to access MoffittNet applications.

    STAFF PORTAL LOGIN

    ✕

    Call: 1-888-663-3488

    Call: 1-888-663-3488

    Our patient services specialists can assist you with scheduling an appointment, questions about medical records, insurance, billing and more.

    Patient Appointment Center Hours: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday - Friday; 8 a.m. to noon Saturday