[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"doc-seo-377882-105":3,"detail-sidebar-cat-0-en-105":81,"doc-detail-377882-en":131},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"ok",{"site_id":7,"language":8,"slug":9,"title":10,"keywords":11,"description":12,"schema_data":13,"social_meta":74,"head_meta":76,"extra_data":78,"updated_unix":80},105,"en","vasculogenic-mimicry-case-report","Vasculogenic mimicry - Case Report","","Vasculogenic mimicry (VM) describes malignant cells forming microvascular channels that resemble blood vessels in function but are not lined by endothelium. These VM channels contain blood cells and plasma, supplying nutrients that meet the metabolic demands of cancer cells. VM occurs across diverse tumors and correlates with aggressive malignancy, including high grade, invasion, metastasis, and unfavorable clinical outcomes. The paper outlines mechanisms, visualization methods, and prognostic significance.",{"@graph":14,"@context":73},[15,34,56],{"@type":16,"itemListElement":17},"BreadcrumbList",[18,23,27,31],{"item":19,"name":20,"@type":21,"position":22},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",1,{"item":24,"name":25,"@type":21,"position":26},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/","Document",2,{"item":28,"name":29,"@type":21,"position":30},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/healthcare/","Healthcare",3,{"item":32,"name":10,"@type":21,"position":33},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/vasculogenic-mimicry-case-report/377882/",4,{"url":32,"name":10,"@type":35,"image":36,"author":41,"headline":10,"publisher":44,"fileFormat":47,"inLanguage":8,"description":12,"dateModified":48,"datePublished":49,"encodingFormat":47,"isAccessibleForFree":50,"interactionStatistic":51},"DigitalDocument",{"url":37,"@type":38,"width":39,"height":40},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/vasculogenic-mimicry-case-report/377882.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":42,"@type":43},"River Wang","Person",{"url":19,"name":45,"@type":46},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-10-30","2026-09-24",true,{"@type":52,"interactionType":53,"userInteractionCount":55},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":54},"ViewAction",12,{"@type":57,"mainEntity":58},"FAQPage",[59,65,69],{"name":60,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":62},"What is vasculogenic mimicry (VM) in cancer?","Question",{"text":63,"@type":64},"VM is the ability of malignant cells to form microvascular channels that resemble blood vessels but are not lined by endothelium. Tumor cells line these channels and can function in nutrient delivery to support cancer growth.","Answer",{"name":66,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":67},"How can VM be visualized using histochemical staining?",{"text":68,"@type":64},"VM can be demonstrated using periodic acid Schiff (PAS) staining without counterstaining with haematoxylin, followed by visualization under a green filter. PAS-positive material appears black, and VM is supported when specific loop or network patterns are present.",{"name":70,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":71},"Why is VM clinically important?",{"text":72,"@type":64},"VM is associated with aggressive tumor behavior and poor clinical outcomes. Higher mortality and poor survival have been reported in PAS-positive metastatic melanoma and in other cancers such as oral and laryngeal carcinomas.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":32,"og:type":75,"og:title":10,"og:site_name":45,"og:description":12},"article",{"robots":77,"canonical":32},"index,follow",{"doc_id":79,"site_id":7},377882,1790767221,{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":83},"success",[84,88,92,96,101,106,110,115,120,123,127],{"id":22,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":85,"show_sort_weight":86,"slug":87},"Story & Novel",90,"story-novel",{"id":26,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":89,"show_sort_weight":90,"slug":91},"Literature",80,"literature",{"id":33,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":93,"show_sort_weight":94,"slug":95},"Exam",70,"exam",{"id":97,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":98,"show_sort_weight":99,"slug":100},5,"Comic",60,"comic",{"id":102,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":103,"show_sort_weight":104,"slug":105},6,"Technology",50,"technology",{"id":107,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":29,"show_sort_weight":108,"slug":109},7,40,"healthcare",{"id":111,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":112,"show_sort_weight":113,"slug":114},8,"Research & Report",30,"research-report",{"id":116,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":117,"show_sort_weight":118,"slug":119},9,"Religion & Spirituality",20,"religion-spirituality",{"id":118,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":121,"show_sort_weight":118,"slug":122},"World Cup","world-cup",{"id":124,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":125,"show_sort_weight":124,"slug":126},10,"Lifestyle","lifestyle",{"id":128,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":129,"show_sort_weight":97,"slug":130},19,"General","general",{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":132},{"doc_id":79,"user_id":133,"nickname":42,"user_avatar":134,"doc_module":4,"category_id":107,"category_name":29,"doc_title":10,"doc_description":12,"doc_content":135,"file_id":136,"file_url":137,"file_type":138,"file_size":139,"view_count":55,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":22,"is_downloadable":22,"audit_status":22,"page_count":26,"language":140,"language_code":8,"site_id":7,"html_lang":8,"table_of_contents":141,"faqs":142,"seo_title":143,"seo_description":12,"update_tm":144,"read_time":97},1099514067438,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/avatar/100002539ee87300030?x-image-process=image/resize,m_fixed,w_180,h_180&k=1780474512215547542","Case Report   \nVasculogenic mimicry  \nDeepak Pandiar1, Smitha T2, Reshma Poothakulath Krishnan1  \n1 Department of Oral Pathology and Microbiology, Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, 2 Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, V S Dental College and Hospital, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India  \nAbstract   \nVasculogenic mimicry (VM) refers to the ability of malignant cells to form microvascular channels, having nature of blood vessels but are not endothelium lined. These channels contain blood cells & plasma and provide sufficient nutrient supply to the cancerous cells to meet their metabolic demands. VM can be seen in various tumors and is associated with their malignant phenotype, high tumor grade, invasion, metastasis and poor clinical outcome. In this paper, we made an attempt to explain the mechanism, visualisation and prognostic significance of vasculogenic mimicry.  \nKeywords: cancer; melanoma; prognosis; Vasculogenic mimicry  \nAddress for correspondence: Dr. Deepak Pandiar, Department of Oral Pathology and Microbiology, Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.  \nE‑mail: [deepakpandiar1923@yahoo.com](deepakpandiar1923@yahoo.com)  \nSubmitted: 21‑Dec‑2022, Revised: 22‑Dec‑2022, Accepted: 22‑Dec‑2022, Published: 21‑Mar‑2023  \nCarcinogenesis is a complex phenomenon where the neoplastic cells acquire a number of properties to survive, proliferate and metastasize regionally and to distant organs. One of the prerequisites for the survival of tumour cells is ‘sustained angiogenesis’. [1] Although most malignant neoplasms survive by neoangiogenesis, implying non‑patterned proliferation of endothelial cells to form endothelium‑lined vascular spaces, derived from pre‑existing microcirculation. This is applicable to all primary and metastatic tumours. Maniotis et al.,[2] in their legendary work, explained an alternative mechanism in uveal melanoma for which the term‘vasculogenic mimicry’ (VM) was chosen. Vasculogenic means ‘having a nature/behaviour of blood vessels but does not arise from the pre‑existing vessels and are not endothelium‑lined, rather they are lined by tumour cells and perform the function of blood vessels, hence the suffix ‘mimicry’.  \n\n| Access this article online |  |\n| --- | --- |\n| Quick Response Code: | Website:\u003Cbr>[www.jomfp.in](www.jomfp.in) |\n| |  |\n|  | DOI:\u003Cbr>10.4103/jomfp.jomfp_532_22 |\n\nHere, we demonstrate VM in a case of amelanotic melanoma of the submental region with nodal and microsatellite metastases. Figure 1 shows a low‑power view of amelanotic melanoma with dyscohesive malignant cells, septae and narrow vascular spaces. Interestingly, it is possible to demonstrate VM by simple histochemical staining employing periodic acid Schiff (PAS) staining without counterstaining with haematoxylin [Figure 2a, same case as Figure 1] and subsequent visualisation under a green filter. If VM is present, the PAS‑positive (PAS+) loops appear black [Figure 2b]. It has been proposed that PAS‑positive material should either form closed loops encircling the packets of malignant tumour cells or there should be at least a network of three back‑to‑back loops to be considered as VM.  \nAt this point, it is essential to mention and recognise that these channels are not lined by endothelium, unlike  \nThis is an open access journal, and articles are distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution‑NonCommercial‑ShareAlike 4.0 License, which allows others to remix, tweak, and build upon the work non‑commercially, as long as appropriate credit is given and the new creations are licensed under the identical terms.  \nFor [reprints contact:](reprints contact: WKHLRPMedknow_reprints@wolterskluwer.com)[ WKHLRPMedknow_reprints@wolterskluwer.com](reprints contact: WKHLRPMedknow_reprints@wolterskluwer.com)  \nHow to cite this article: Pandiar D, Smitha T, Krishnan RP. Vasculogenic mimicry. J Oral Maxillofac Pathol 2023;27:228‑9.  \n228 © 2023 Journal of Oral and Maxillof","cbCaivQuo6JnpTWC","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaivQuo6JnpTWC","pdf",1968089,"English","# Abstract\n# Mechanism and background of vasculogenic mimicry\n# Histochemical visualization using PAS staining\n# Definition and differentiation from true vascular spaces\n# Prognostic significance and clinical relevance\n# Figure descriptions (Figures 1-3)","[{\"question\":\"What is vasculogenic mimicry (VM) in cancer?\",\"answer\":\"VM is the ability of malignant cells to form microvascular channels that resemble blood vessels but are not lined by endothelium. Tumor cells line these channels and can function in nutrient delivery to support cancer growth.\"},{\"question\":\"How can VM be visualized using histochemical staining?\",\"answer\":\"VM can be demonstrated using periodic acid Schiff (PAS) staining without counterstaining with haematoxylin, followed by visualization under a green filter. PAS-positive material appears black, and VM is supported when specific loop or network patterns are present.\"},{\"question\":\"Why is VM clinically important?\",\"answer\":\"VM is associated with aggressive tumor behavior and poor clinical outcomes. Higher mortality and poor survival have been reported in PAS-positive metastatic melanoma and in other cancers such as oral and laryngeal carcinomas.\"}]","Vasculogenic mimicry - Case Report | PDF",1790227500]