Pilot Study and Clinical Prognosis Significance of Vasculogenic Mimicry in Leiomyosarcoma

Objective: To observe the existence of vasculogenic mimicry in leiomyosarcoma and the clinical significance and mechanism thereof. Methods: The clinical and pathological data of forty-five cases of leiomyosarcoma were collected in the study. The presence of vasculogenic mimicry was observed by immunohistochemical and histochemical double staining of CD34 and PAS. The clinical significance of vasculogenic mimicry was assessed.Results: Vasculogenic mimicry channels were found in 25 of the 45 leiomyosarcoma cases (55.6%). There was a statistical significance between the cases with and without metastasis(P 0.05). There was also a statistical significance between survival group and dead group (P 0.01). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed the presence of vasculogenic mimicry channels had a negative influence on the prognosis (P 0.05). Conclusion: The vasculogenic mimicry exists in leiomyosarcoma, which is an unfavorable factor influencing prognosis of the patients with leiomyosarcoma. The patients with vasculogenic mimicry channels in the tumor are prone to suffer the metastasis. Prognosis for patients with vasculogenic mimicry channels in leiomyosarcoma is poorer than that in patients without vasculogenic mimicry.