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

• Published in: Pathology, research and practice Vol. 213; no. 12; pp. 1459 - 1463
• Main Authors: Hong, Won Gi, Ko, Young San, Pyo, Jung-Soo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany Elsevier GmbH 01.12.2017
• Subjects: Clinicopathological significance; Disease-Free Survival; Gastric cancer; Humans; Lymphatic Metastasis - pathology; Meta-analysis; Microvessel density; Microvessels - pathology; Neoplasm Invasiveness - pathology; Prognosis; Proportional Hazards Models; Stomach Neoplasms - diagnosis; Stomach Neoplasms - pathology; Survival Rate; Prognosis; Microvessel density; Gastric cancer; Clinicopathological significance; Meta-analysis
• ISSN: 0344-0338; 1618-0631
• DOI: 10.1016/j.prp.2017.11.001

•There was a significant correlation between high MVD and worse survival.•MVD was significantly increased in GC with lymphatic invasion and lymph node metastasis.•In higher pTNM stage (III–IV), MVD was significantly higher. 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. 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. 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). 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.