This is in agreement with a previous study on breast cancer (Toi et al, 1995a) and one on lung cancer (Niki et al, 2000), where they found that high expression of VEGF-A was not only associated with larger tumours but also with larger metastatic deposits, likely through the growth factor inducing a rich vascular network, and a correspondingly more nutritious environment for tumour growth. The gene discussed is VEGFA; the disease is breast carcinoma.