Cahn-Hilliard-Brinkman models for tumour growth: Modelling, analysis and optimal control

Phase field models recently gained a lot of interest in the context of tumour growth models. In this work we study several diffuse interface models for tumour growth in a bounded domain with sufficiently smooth boundary. The basic model consists of a Cahn–Hilliard type equation for the concentration of tumour cells coupled to a convection-reaction-diffusion-type equation for an unknown species acting as a nutrient and a Brinkman-type equation for the velocity. The system is equipped with Neumann boundary conditions for the phase field and the chemical potential, a Robin-type boundary condition for the nutrient and a “no-friction” boundary condition for the velocity which allows us to consider solution dependent source terms. We derive the model from basic thermodynamic principles, conservation laws for mass and momentum and constitutive assumptions. Using the method of formal matched asymptotics, we relate our diffuse interface model with free boundary problems for tumour growth that have been studied earlier. For the basic model, we show the existence of weak solutions under suitable assumptions on the source terms and the potential by using a Galerkin method, energy estimates and compactness arguments. If the velocity satisfies a no-slip boundary condition and is divergence free, we can establish the existence of weak solutions for degenerate mobilities and singular potentials. From a modelling point of view, it seems to be more appropriate to describe the nutrient evolution by a so-called quasi-static equation of reaction-diffusion type. For this model we establish existence of both weak and strong solutions for regular potentials and a continuous dependence result yields the uniqueness of weak solutions and thus the model is well-posed. These results build the basis to study an optimal control problem where the control acts as a cytotoxic drug. Moreover, we rigorously prove the zero viscosity limit in two and three space dimensions which allows us to relate the Cahn–Hilliard–Brinkman model with Cahn–Hilliard–Darcy models which have been studied earlier. Finally, we also analyse the model with quasi-static nutrients and classical singular potentials like the logarithmic and double-obstacle potential which enforce the phase field to stay in the physical relevant range. Under suitable assumptions on the source terms, we can establish the existence of weak solutions for these kinds of potentials