Prognostic role of vasculogenic mimicry in XXXX .

@entity1 @entity13938 @entity5 @entity982 @entity14 @entity22129 @entity320
PURPOSE: Angiogenesis, as measured by degree of microvessel density, has been associated with @entity5 progression in many @entity5 types but does not always correlate with clinical outcome. In 1999, aggressive @entity5 cells were shown to form blood-conducting tubes not lined by endothelial cells, and this phenomenon was termed vasculogenic mimicry. We investigated angiogenesis and the presence of vasculogenic mimicry in @entity14 in relation to @entity5 stage, @entity1 survival, and genetic indicators of @entity5 cell plasticity. METHODS: @entity982 -embedded tissue samples were examined from a study of 117 @entity1 with @entity14 with a 12-year follow-up. Immunohistochemical analysis was used to measure microvessel density and proliferating endothelial cells and to detect vasculogenic mimicry (scored by 3 independent observers). Cell cultures from 7 colon cell lines, real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) on cell lines, frozen tissue material from 4 @entity14 @entity1 with and 4 without vasculogenic mimicry, and fresh @entity14 tissue from 2 @entity1 were used to investigate the relationship between vasculogenic mimicry and @entity5 cell plasticity. RESULTS: Microvessel density was not a prognostic marker in our @entity1 . We found vasculogenic mimicry in 23 (19.7%) of 117 @entity14 samples. Cell culture experiments and real-time PCR on @entity1 @entity14 material showed evidence for vasculogenic mimicry with overexpression of @entity22129 and @entity13938 , known to be important for the tube-forming capacity of @entity320 cells. The presence of vasculogenic mimicry was associated with significantly shortened survival, both overall (P < 0.0001) and within intermediate @entity5 stages (Dukes B, P = 0.0277; Dukes C, P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Vasculogenic mimicry can occur in @entity14 and appears to be comparable to vasculogenic mimicry described in other @entity5 . Moreover, vasculogenic mimicry in @entity14 may be a strong independent prognostic marker for survival.
