What is the most likely outcome of chemotherapy on larger tumors according to Gompertzian growth?

Gompertzian growth refers to a model of tumor growth that describes how larger tumors tend to grow more slowly compared to smaller tumors. This phenomenon occurs because as tumors increase in size, they often experience limitations in nutrient and oxygen supply, leading to a plateau in their growth rate.

In the context of chemotherapy, this slower growth of larger tumors makes them less responsive to treatment. Chemotherapy is generally more effective against actively dividing cells, and smaller tumors usually have a higher proportion of rapidly dividing cells compared to larger tumors. As tumor cells grow larger and their growth rate decreases, they may also become more heterogeneous, with variations in cellular characteristics and resistance mechanisms that can further reduce the effectiveness of chemotherapy.

Thus, larger tumors typically show a diminished response to chemotherapy when compared to smaller tumors, which is why the most likely outcome of chemotherapy on larger tumors, according to the principles of Gompertzian growth, is that they are less effective in achieving destruction of the tumor. The dynamics of cell proliferation and tumor biology associated with this model provide a clear rationale for this reduced responsiveness.