Advances in vasculogenic mimicry in breast cancer

Abstract

Vasculogenic mimicry (VM) is a blood vessel-like structure formed by tumor cells and extracellular matrix, which can mimic the function of blood vessels while providing nutrients to tumors. Tumor angiogenesis plays an important role in tumor cell growth, invasion and metastasis. Anti-angiogenic drugs have been applied in breast cancer treatment, but the drug effects are still limited and susceptible to drug resistance. The formation of VM is one of the reasons leading to resistance to anti-angiogenic drugs. In addition, although the mechanism of VM formation has not been completely clarified, it is associated with a variety of poor prognostic factors in breast cancer, such as more aggressive staging, larger tumor diameter, and more prone to lymph node metastasis. Early intervention in the formation of VM may improve the prognosis of breast cancer, and therefore, targeting the VM may become a major new direction in the treatment of breast cancer. This article focuses on the molecular mechanisms of VM formation, the drivers of associated VM in breast cancer, the clinical relevance of VM in breast cancer, and the treatment targeting at VM.

Keywords

• breast cancer; vasculogenic mimicry; cancer stem cells; triple-negative breast cancer