In choosing a project, we wanted to select something that could have a positive effect on others, such as a program that contributed to research in a certain life-enriching field, such as medicine. In the end, we arrived at modeling the spread and growth of melanoma skin cancer. Hopefully this program will assist in understanding the movement of melanoma cancer so it can be treated more effectively and make even a minor contribution to our modern understanding of this deadly cancer. By creating a graphical and textual representation of the cancer's movement, it would be possible to anticipate the cancer's movement and prevent it from spreading. This problem would definitely need the resources of a supercomputer as the model developed in complexity, and would therefore be very appropriate for the AiS Challenge.
There are three basic types of skin cancer, squamous cell carcinoma, melanoma, and basal cell carcinoma or epithelioma. We chose melanoma because of its relatively predictable movement allowing for a model of greater precision; its movement is the most predictable of the three types of skin cancer, even though none are totally predictable.
Skin cancer is formed when healthy melanocytes, the pigment producing cells in skin, are exposed to excess amounts of UV rays. The DNA in the nucleus of the cell is then damaged, causing for the cancerous "mutant" cell to develop. Melanocytes reside in the area called the germinal layer, between the epidermis and dermis (See Appendix A, Figure 1) and have attempted to restrict growth to this general region. These abnormal cells begin to behave strangely and are now considered melanoma.
These damaged melanoma cells produce excess melanin, the pigment that colors one's skin, causing the skin to become darker in the infected area (See Appendix A, Figure 2) and the cells also grow abnormally large, breaking through the epidermis. Melanoma develops in one area and spreads horizontally due to the pressure from the other skin layers, giving it an elliptical shape. As these malignant melanocytes grow, they consume healthy red blood cells which they use for growth as well as destroying local cells like bone tissues and local capillaries. The body attempts to replenish the blood supply at these locations where the malignant melanocytes have consumed them. Excess bleeding, therefore, is a common symptom in patients with melanoma.
The malignant cells gather together and form colonies, or moles. When these colonies reach approximately 5 mm, cells tend to break off and form satellite nodules, or other moles close yet separated from the original colony. As development continues and the cancerous cells start to leak into the arteries, satellite nodules can eventually travel through the lymphatic channels (See Appendix A, Figure 3), the body's filtering system. The "filters" catch the melanoma cells and while the cancerous cells get trapped they continue to grow. As a result, patients with melanoma often complain of pain in their armpits, groin, and neck, the locations of major lymph glands, the actual filters. The melanoma cells caught in these filters continue to grow and exert pressure on their surroundings, causing discomfort. Once in the final stages of growth, malignant melanocytes are able to travel through the blood stream, which reaches all parts of the body. This causes blockages where they are caught, especially in such places as the heart, lungs, and brain, where they can be fatal.
Despite the frightful nature of this cancer, treatment is possible when detected early before the cancerous cells spread through the blood stream and body. Models such as the one developed in this project would be very helpful in treating the cancer.
