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Fractals and Cancer¹

Department of Mechanical Engineering, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, Pennsylvania 17837 [J. W. B.], and Edwin L. Steele Laboratory, Department of Radiation Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02114 [R. K. J.]

ABSTRACT

Recent studies have shown that fractal geometry, a vocabulary of irregular shapes, can be useful for describing the pathological architecture of tumors and, perhaps more surprisingly, for yielding insights into the mechanisms of tumor growth and angiogenesis that complement those obtained by modern molecular methods. This article outlines the basic methods of fractal geometry and discusses the value and limitations of applying this new tool to cancer research.

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