Prognostic Value of Microvessel Density in Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma: A Meta-Analysis

Abstract

<b><i>Background:</i></b> Angiogenesis in non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) has been investigated by a variety of studies. However, the correlation between angiogenesis and the occurrence or prognosis of NHL patients remains controversial. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> We performed a systematic and comprehensive retrieval of relevant literatures from PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science databases. The quality of the eligible studies was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS). <b><i>Results:</i></b> Fifteen eligible studies containing a total of 1373 NHL patients were included in this study. All the eligible studies were high-quality studies scoring ≥6 points. MVD was not different between NHL and control (SMD = 0.281, 95% CI: −1.410 to 1.972, <i>p</i> = 0.745). High MVD was associated with advanced disease stage (OR = 1.580, 95% CI: 1.080–2.311, <i>p</i> = 0.018) and unfavorable OS (HR = 1.656, 95% CI: 1.366–2.009, <i>p</i> = 0.000) but not with PFS (HR = 1.349, 95% CI: 0.852–2.136, <i>p</i> = 0.201). <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> This meta-analysis demonstrated that high MVD was related to advanced disease stage and associated with unfavorable OS of NHL patients.