Non-linear dynamics theory and malignant melanoma.

Chaos theory (nonlinear dynamics) defines cancer as a complex adaptive system in which each cyclic point corresponds to the bifurcation at which changes in signaling pathways emerge. Quantitative assessment of chaos in digital medical images such as electron microscopy, histology and cytology sections collected from patients with malignant cutaneous melanoma employed the following calculation parameters: the irregularity of external contours, internal heterogeneity based on brightness distribution of macromo-lecules, chromosomes, organelles, inclusion bodies, cells and tissues, kurtosis, entropy and the asymmetry coefficient. The present study undertook a nonlinear analysis of the chaotic hierarchy of malignant melanoma. However, considerably more studies will need to be carried out to determine the exact interrelationship between different levels of the hierarchy in the biological system. Multidisciplinary collaborations are therefore essential to find evidence to answer questions that remain open to researchers and oncologists.