VEGFA and mesothelioma: Furthermore, early detection procedures were developed using serum or pleural effusions to measure soluble mesothelin-related peptide (SMRP) and other markers such as osteopontin, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and angiopoietin-1 [7–9], as well as procedures for detection of circulating mesothelioma cells and circulating epithelial cells using peripheral blood [10, 11].