Indeed, in cancers of the breast and skin (melanoma) and in some leukaemias, VEGF/VEGFR autocrine signalling loops have been identified (Bellamy et al, 1999; Dias et al, 2000, 2001; Lacal et al, 2000), but the elucidation of the contribution of individual VEGF/VEGFR family members to biologic functions mediated by individual receptors is only beginning to emerge. The gene discussed is KDR; the disease is melanoma.