MAPK8 and neoplasm: Considering that a positive correlation between tumor VEGF-C and tumor lymphangiogenesis/lymphogenous metastasis has been reported in numerous malignancies including non-small cell lung carcinoma [5], we herein found a novel molecular mechanism, the podoplanin-JNK-VEGF-C axis, by which podoplanin impaired lymphogenous metastasis in our animal model.