A Review on Cancer Stem Cells in Vasculogenic Mimicry Formation: A New Dimension for Targeted Therapy

Aim: Cancer stem cells (CSCs) or tumor-initiating cells have self-renewal and uncontrolled tumor growth capacity that promotes metastasis and recurrence. Challenges in anticancer have found a lateral dimension of treatment against a new pattern of tumor microcirculation, known as vasculogenic mimicry (VM), involved in cancer progression. Increasing evidence suggest that CSCs are involved in the formation of VM. In this review the correlation between CSCs and VM formation is been enlightened. Materials and Methods: The literature search was done in Medline, PubMed, Wiley, Science Direct, and Scopus. The keywords used for database search were cancer stem cells, vasculogenic mimicry, and anticancer therapy. Results: A total of 112 articles appeared from various sources, of which 102 were subjected for screening and 20 were related to the research objective. Conclusion: Based on the literature a positive correlation exists between CSC and VM, which plays a key role in tumor progression, and hence, can serve as a potential target in anticancer therapy.

From Sprouting Angiogenesis to Erythrocytes Generation by Cancer Stem Cells: Evolving Concepts in Tumor Microcirculation

Angiogenesis is essential for tumor growth and metastasis. Over the last decades, a substantial progress has been achieved in defining different patterns of tumor microcirculation. Sprouting angiogenesis, the oldest model of microcirculation, is the de novo vessel formation from preexisting blood vessels. Vessel splitting and hijacking, also known, respectively, as intussusception and cooption, are alternative models that account for tumor resistance to antiangiogenic therapy. In addition to remodeling the microenvironment, the tumor cell can undergo intrinsic changes and survive hypoxic conditions by acquiring stem cell properties. In line with the concept of pluripotency, tumor cells can form vascular mimicry structures creating their own microcirculation despite a latent vessel growth. The recent identification of the polyploid giant cancer cells and tumor-derived erythrocytes is the most innovative survival mechanism in hypoxia and provides a potential target for more effective therapies.