Clinicopathological significance and prognostic role of microvessel density in gastric cancer: A meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to elucidate the clinicopathological significance and prognostic role of microvessel density (MVD) in gastric cancer (GC) through a meta-analysis.

METHODS

This meta-analysis included 4094 patients from 26 eligible studies. We investigated the correlation between MVD and clinicopathological characteristics, including survival rate. In addition, subgroup analysis based on microscopic magnification among evaluation criteria of MVD was performed.

RESULTS

High MVD was significantly correlated with worse overall and disease-free survival rates [hazard ratio (HR), 3.028, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.105-4.357 and HR 2.045, 95% CI 1.530-2.732, respectively]. MVD was significantly increased in GC with diffuse type of Lauren's classification [mean difference (MD) 3.091, 95% CI 0.615-5.567], lymphatic invasion (MD 8.262, 95% CI 3.310-13.214), lymph node metastasis (MD 5.730, 95% CI 2.444-9.016), higher pT stage (pT3-4) (MD 7.093, 95% CI 0.060-14.126) and higher pTNM stage (III-IV) (MD 3.023, 95% CI 0.181-5.865). However, MD of MVD was not significantly different in regard to vascular invasion (MD 7.430, 95% CI 1.015-15.875), tumor differentiation (MD 5.501, 95% CI 1.353-12.355) and tumor size (MD 4.731, 95% CI 2.003-11.465).

CONCLUSION

Taken together, higher MVD was significantly correlated with worse prognosis. In addition, MVD was significantly higher in GC with aggressive tumor behavior than in GC without aggressive features.