Abstract
Vasculogenic mimicry (VM) is an intratumoral microcirculation pattern formed by aggressive cancer cells, which mediates tumor growth. In this study, we compiled the evidence from studies evaluating whether positive VM status can serve as a prognostic factor to patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (HNSCC) or esophagus (ESCC). Comprehensive systematic searches were conducted using Cochrane Library, Ovid Medline, PubMed, and Scopus databases. We appraised the quality of studies and the potential for bias, and performed random-effect meta-analysis to assess the prognostic impact of VM on the overall survival (OS). Seven studies with 990 patients were eligible, where VM was detected in 34.24% of patients. Positive-VM was strongly associated with poor OS (hazard ratio = 0.50; 95% confidence interval: 0.38–0.64), which remained consistent following the subgroup analysis of the studies. Furthermore, VM was associated with more metastasis to local lymph nodes and more advanced stages of HNSCC and ESCC. In conclusion, this study provides clear evidence showing that VM could serve as a promising prognosticator for patients with either HNSCC or ESCC. Further studies are warranted to assess how VM can be implemented as a reliable staging element in clinical practice and whether it could provide a new target for therapeutic intervention.
Highlights
Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) remains one of the most common and deadly cancers worldwide [1]
Several studies have shown that HNSCC is often accompanied by esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) [7]
We evaluated whether immunodetection of Vasculogenic mimicry (VM) serves as a prognostic factor of the survival of these patients
Summary
Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) remains one of the most common and deadly cancers worldwide [1]. HNSCC encompasses a group of aggressive tumors that occur throughout the oral cavity, hypopharynx, oropharynx, nasopharynx, or larynx [2,3]. The incidence and mortality of HNSCC are rapidly growing in different geographic regions, including many European and Nordic countries [5]. Esophageal cancer ranks seventh in terms of incidence and sixth in mortality [1]. Several studies have shown that HNSCC is often accompanied by esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) [7]. HNSCC and ESCC share broad similarities, such as cellular origin and tumorigenesis, in addition to their early dissemination and dismal prognosis [2,8]
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