A proposed fractional-order Gompertz model and its application to tumour growth data

Abstract

A fractional-order Gompertz model of orders between 0 and 2 is proposed. The main purpose of this investigation is to determine whether the ordinary or proposed fractional Gompertz model would best fit our experimental dataset. The solutions for the proposed model are obtained using fundamental concepts from fractional calculus. The closed-form equations of both the proposed model and the ordinary Gompertz model are calibrated using an experimental dataset containing tumour growth volumes of a Rhabdomyosarcoma tumour in a mouse. With regard to the proposed model, the order, within the interval mentioned, that resulted in the best fit to the data was used in a further investigation into the prediction capability of the model. This was compared to the prediction capability of the ordinary Gompertz model. The result of the investigation was that a fractional-order Gompertz model of order 0.68 produced a better fit to our experimental dataset than the well-known ordinary Gompertz model.

Keywords: Gompertz model; Rhabdomyosarcoma; fractional calculus; tumour growth.