Liver cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide. One of the main treatment options for liver cancer is a partial hepatectomy (PH), which is removal of two-thirds of the liver. However, some cancer may remain after PH. As the liver regenerates, it competes with the remaining cancerous cells for resources and survival.

Recent medical research suggests that hyperactivation of Yes-associated protein (YAP) may help curb the growth of tumors in the liver. So in our research, we explore the resource competition between healthy and cancerous cells after PH: both with and without hyperactivation of YAP. We use mathematical modeling (primarily ordinary differential equations) to describe the dynamics in both populations over time.

We find that a high level of drug efficacy is needed for YAP hyperactivation to completely clear the tumor; although if a small enough amount of the tumor is left, then patients may be able to get away with a less effective drug. In the future, we are interested in modeling these populations with a combination of treatments. Particularly, we are interested in modeling YAP hyperactivation in conjunction with chemotherapy and radiation treatments.