The role of microvascular tortuosity in tumor transport phenomena and future perspective for drug delivery

We tackle the fluid transport problem in vascularized tumors by solving a double Darcy model obtained via multiscale homogenization. The hydraulic conductivities of the capillary and interstitial compartments are computed solving classical problems on the representative periodic cell, which encodes details of the microvasculature. Microvascular tortuosity leads to a dramatic decrease of the capillary hydraulic conductivity, and the corresponding lowering in the pressure drop impairs tumor blood flow and consequently advection of molecules. Further perspectives for anti-cancer agents delivery are illustrated. (© 2015 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)