Organization of the Dynamics in a Parameter Plane of a Tumor Growth Mathematical Model

We report results of a numerical investigation on a two-dimensional cross-section of the parameter-space of a set of three autonomous, eight-parameter, first-order ordinary differential equations, which models tumor growth. The model considers interaction between tumor cells, healthy tissue cells, and activated immune system cells. By using Lyapunov exponents to characterize the dynamics of the model in a particular parameter plane, we show that it presents typical self-organized periodic structures embedded in a chaotic region, that were before detected in other models. We show that these structures organize themselves in two independent ways: (i) as spirals that coil up toward a focal point while undergoing period-adding bifurcations and, (ii) as a sequence with a well-defined law of formation, constituted by two mixed period-adding bifurcation cascades.