ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the expression of patterned matrix vasculogenic mimicry in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and its prognostic significance. Methods HCC tissues from 151 patients undergoing curative resection in Anhui Provincial Hospital from January 2003 to December 2008 were studied.Postoperative follow-up and clinicopathologic data were reviewed.Immunohistochemical staining of laminin,CD34 and transmission electron microscopy were used to identify patterned matrix VM in HCC.The relations between clinicopathologic features, prognosis and patterned matrix VM were analyzed.Results Patterned matrix VM was positive in 31 out of 151 cases (20.5％ ).The expression of patterned matrix VM was positively correlated with tumor size ( x2 =4.132,P =0.042),vascular invasion ( x2 =5.825,P=0.016),high Edmondson grade (x2 =5.256,P=0.022),and late pTNM stage (x2 =6.218,P =0.013).Kaplan-Meier survival analysis revealed that cases of the VM positive group had poor overall 1,3 and 5 year survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) than that of the VM negative group (67.7％,34.6％,11.5％ and 86.7％,64.7％,40.3％,respectively,x2 =14.852,P ＜ 0.001 ; and 41.9％,19.4％,6.5％ and 63.3％,40.6％,19.6％,respectively,x2 =10.065,P =0.002).Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed that multiple tumor nodules,vascular invasion and VM were independent prognostic factors for overall survival,while vascular invasion and VM were independent prognostic factors for disease-free survival. Conclusions Patterned matrix VM exists in HCC. The expression of patternedmatrix VM is associated with tumor size,Edmondson grade,pTNM stage and vascular invasion,and it might serve as an unfavorable prognostic factor for HCC patients.