Global existence of solutions for a free boundary problem modeling the growth of necrotic tumors (Q2387128)

The author treats the problem of a class of reaction-diffusion equations in the presence of a free boundary. The paper is devoted to the demonstration of the global existence of solutions of this problem under conditions more relaxed than hithertofore considered. The problem has certain inherent mathematical difficulties such as discontinuities in the coefficients of the equation and two free boundaries of different type. After many theorems and propositions the goal of global existence is established. One notes that the demonstration is under the assumption of spherical symmetry. Mathematically this assumption is most justifiable. Physically it is generally untenable -- consider the spread of AIDS down the Great Truck Route of Africa for which radial symmetry is meaningless. The retreat from radial symmetry to radial asymmetry is somewhat drastic, but perhaps the modelling of a nonradially symmetric situation by one sharing discrete rotational symmetry -- essentially an eigenstate of the angular momentum operator in the language of physics -- would be amenable to treatment by the theorems etc. enunciated in this paper with perhaps some modification. The specific problem of the real world which motivates this paper is the growth of a tumour which includes necrosis. Somehow it seemed disappointing that a scenario in which global necrosis of the tumour existed was not regarded as interesting. It may be that a person with a tumour so challenged would be inclined to rate the interest level differently. Without wishing to suggest that the mathematics of this paper is misdirected one does find it dispiriting that the paper concludes in the sequence: statement of the theorem of the main result of the paper; acknowledgements; references. There is nothing wrong with any of these. It is the missing part which irks. Why is there no discussion of the myriad theorems proven in relation to the reality of a person experiencing the malefficient effects of a not completely necrotic spherically symmetric tumour?