Vascular mimicry developments in non-small cell lung cancer

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains a prevalent and lethal malignancy worldwide, posing significant challenges in therapeutic management. The limited clinical effectiveness of conventional antiangiogenic therapies in NSCLC is mainly attributed to vasculogenic mimicry (VM), an atypical angiogenic mechanism observed in tumors. VM involves tumor cells transforming into vascular-like channels, advancing tumor progression by providing essential nutrients and oxygen. These structures, formed by tumor cells instead of endothelial cells, are resistant to traditional antiangiogenic drugs targeting vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) pathways, allowing tumors to evade suppression by standard antivascular treatments and significantly contributing to therapeutic resistance. Therefore, a thorough investigation of VM formation mechanisms, its regulatory pathways, and the association between VM formation mechanisms and prognosis in NSCLC has both theoretical and clinical significance for developing innovative therapeutic strategies and improving patient survival.