VEGFA and neoplasm: VEGF has been generally considered in over 20 000 papers since 1990 as a pro-angiogenic tumour-enhancing endothelial-specific growth factor (Ferrara, 2002) and successful antiangiogenic agents have been directed at VEGF in cancer and eye disease (Gragoudas et al, 2004; Hurwitz et al, 2004).