VEGFA and malignant mesothelioma: Two parallel non-randomised phase II studies in patients with malignant mesothelioma treated with single agent thalidomide or thalidomide combined with carboplatin and gemcitabine reported pre-treatment VEGF serum levels were prognostic, and increases in VEGF levels on treatment were associated with a worse prognosis (Kao et al, 2012).