Yang J P, Liao Y D, Mai D M, Xie P, Qiang Y Y, Zheng L S, Wang M Y, Mei Y, Meng D F, Xu L, Cao L, Yang Q, Yang X X, Wang W B, Peng L X, Huang B J, Qian C N
State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China and Collaborative Innovation Center of Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, 651 Dongfeng East Rd, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510060, People's Republic of China.
Department of Hepatobiliary Oncology, Affiliated Tumor Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510095, People's Republic of China.
Angiogenesis. 2016 Apr;19(2):191-200. doi: 10.1007/s10456-016-9500-2. Epub 2016 Feb 22.
Vasculogenic mimicry (VM) is the formation of vascular channels by tumor cells or tumor cell-derived, trans-differentiated cells in highly aggressive, solid tumors. However, the disease features and prognostic value of VM for overall survival of cancer patients remain controversial.
To systematically investigate the roles of VM in cancer progression and its prognostic values, we performed a meta-analysis based on 36 studies (33 eligible articles) including 3609 patients. The pooled hazard ratios (HRs) with 95 % confidence intervals (95 % CIs) were used to assess the relationship between VM and overall survival in cancer patients.
Vasculogenic mimicry was significantly associated with cancer differentiation, lymph node metastasis, distant metastasis, and TNM stage. The prognostic value of VM was significant in overall survival (HR 2.16; 95 % CI 1.98-2.38; P < 0.001). Analyses stratified by confounders, such as cancer type, ethnicity, VM detection methods, sample size, and Newcastle-Ottawa quality score, found similar significant results.
The presence of VM predicts poorer survival outcomes in cancer patients.
血管生成拟态（VM）是指在侵袭性强的实体瘤中，肿瘤细胞或肿瘤细胞衍生的转分化细胞形成血管通道的现象。然而，VM对癌症患者总生存期的疾病特征及预后价值仍存在争议。
为系统研究VM在癌症进展中的作用及其预后价值，我们基于36项研究（33篇合格文章）进行了一项荟萃分析，这些研究共纳入3609例患者。采用合并风险比（HRs）及95%置信区间（95% CIs）评估VM与癌症患者总生存期之间的关系。
血管生成拟态与癌症分化、淋巴结转移、远处转移及TNM分期显著相关。VM对总生存期的预后价值显著（HR 2.16；95% CI 1.98 - 2.38；P < 0.001）。按癌症类型、种族、VM检测方法、样本量及纽卡斯尔-渥太华质量评分等混杂因素进行分层分析，结果相似且具有显著性。
VM的存在预示癌症患者生存结局较差。
