RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are considered the most common mesenchymal tumors of the gastrointestinal tract. Microvessel density (MVD) constitutes a direct method of vascularity quantification and has been associated with survival rates in multiple malignancies. AIM: To appraise the effect of MVD on the survival of patients with GIST. METHODS: This study adhered to Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines and the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions. Electronic scholar databases and grey literature repositories were systematically screened. The Fixed Effects or Random Effects models were used according to the Cochran Q test. RESULTS: In total, 6 eligible studies were identified. The pooled hazard ratio (HR) for disease free survival (DFS) was 8.52 (95%CI: 1.69-42.84, P = 0.009). The odds ratios of disease-free survival between high and low MVD groups at 12 and 60 mo did not reach statistical significance. Significant superiority of the low MVD group in terms of DFS was documented at 36 and 120 mo (OR: 8.46, P < 0.0001 and OR: 22.71, P = 0.0003, respectively) as well as at metastases rate (OR: 0.11, P = 0.0003). CONCLUSION: MVD significantly correlates with the HR of DFS and overall survival rates at 36 and 120 mo. Further prospective studies of higher methodological quality are required.
RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Microvessel density (MVD) has been proposed as a direct quantification method of tumor neovascularization. However, the current literature regarding the role of MVD in differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) remains inconclusive. AIM: To appraise the effect of tumoral MVD on the survival of patients with DTC. METHODS: This meta-analysis was based on the PRISMA guidelines and the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions. The electronic databases Medline, Web of Science, and Scopus were systematically screened. A fixed-effects or random-effects model was used, according to the Cochran Q test. The data were then extracted and assessed on the basis of the Reference Citation Analysis (https://www.referencecitationanalysis.com/). RESULTS: A total of nine studies were included in the present study. Superiority of low MVD tumors in terms of 10-year disease free survival (OR: 0.21, 95%CI: 0.08-0.53) was recorded. Lowly vascularized thyroid cancers had a lower recurrence rate (OR: 13.66, 95%CI: 3.03-61.48). Moreover, relapsing tumors [weighed mean difference (WMD): 11.92, 95%CI: 6.32-17.52] or malignancies with regional lymph node involvement (WMD: 8.53, 95%CI: 0.04-17.02) presented with higher tumoral MVD values. CONCLUSION: MVD significantly correlates with the survival outcomes of thyroid cancer patients. However, considering several study limitations, further prospective studies of higher methodological and quality level are required.
RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: We conducted a meta-analysis, in order to appraise the effect of microvessel density (MVD) on the survival of patients with cutaneous melanoma. METHODS: This study was conducted according to the PRISMA guidelines and the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions. A systematic literature search in electronic databases (MEDLINE, Web of Science, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Clinical Trials) was performed. Fixed Effects or Random Effects model was used, based on the Cochran Q test. RESULTS: In total 9 studies (903 patients) were included. Pooled HR for overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were 2.62 (95% CI: 0.71-9.60, p = 0.15) and 2.64 (95% CI: 0.82-8.47, p = 0.10), respectively. Odds ratios of overall survival between high and low MVD groups, at 12 (1.45, 95% CI: 0.16-13.24), 36 (2.93, 95% CI: 0.63-13.59), and 60 (4.09, 95% CI: 0.85-19.77) months did not reach statistical significance. Significant superiority of low MVD group, in terms of DFS, at all time intervals (OR: 4.69, p < 0.0001; OR: 2.18, p = 0.004; OR: 7.46, p = 0.01, resp.) was documented. DISCUSSION: MVD does not affect the HR of OS and DFS. A strong correlation with DFS rates at 12, 36, and 60 months was recorded.