The Applications of PageRank Mathematics to Lung Cancer Research
Google’s PageRank algorithm is a powerful formula that allows for the determination of web page quality based on the page’s ability to generate links to itself. While this algorithm has proven its worth by enhancing search engine quality and efficiency, it was only recently that scientists began to apply the mathematics to the spread of disease throughout the human body. The analogy between calculating PageRank and metastatic cancer is rooted in the idea that certain internal organs are more likely to spread affected cells throughout the body similar to how certain web pages are more likely to generate links to themselves.
The research began when a group of scientists from multiple institutions in southern California combined autopsy data from 163 cancer victims in order to map the natural spread of metastatic cancer. Their findings indicated that cancer does not actually spread in single direction, as many think, but it actually spreads in multiple directions simultaneously. In addition, “they found certain organs tend to spread cancer cells more aggressively, while others tend to act as sponges for cancer cells.” By graphically representing spreading paths as edges and possible tumor locations as nodes, PageRank mathematics can be applied in order to identify the most probable course of the metastatic cancer as it spreads within the body. Higher PageRanks for certain bodily locations can allow scientists and doctors to better predict where the cancer will spread, and this will allow for more proactive treatment plans. From a very optimistic standpoint, it is also possible that scientists could use the PageRank algorithm to identify the necessary steps to completely eliminate the cancer’s ability to spread throughout the body. This would be analogous to isolating certain nodes from the flow of the ‘network’ or simply removing them from the strongly connected component. In conclusion, it is actually possible that network mathematics may actually lead to the cure for cancer.
The Source:
https://gigaom.com/2013/03/26/how-researchers-are-fighting-lung-cancer-using-pagerank/