Intratumoral vessel density as prognostic factors in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: a meta-analysis of literature.

BACKGROUND The purpose of this study was to comprehensively and quantitatively summarize the prognostic value of microvessel density (MVD) and lymphatic vessel density (LVD) for the survival of patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). METHODS Relevant literatures were identified using Medline and EMBASE. A meta-analysis was performed to clarify the prognostic role of MVD and LVD. RESULTS A total of 18 articles (13 for MVD and 5 for LVD; n = 1279 and n = 408) were pooled for the global meta-analysis. The mortality was 1.23-fold higher for patients whose MVD counts were above the cutoff (risk ratio [RR], 1.23; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.99-1.52), compared with those below it, and this result was on a borderline (p = .06). The mortality of patients with high LVD counts was 2.07-fold higher (RR, 2.07; 95% CI, 1.16-3.71; p = .01). CONCLUSION High counts of LVD, not MVD, are associated with worse 5-year overall survival (OS) in patients with HNSCC.