Specifically, cells derived from both healthy controls and NPC patients cultured in a medium added with IGF-1, bFGF and VEGF expressed the myocyte specific markers alpha-sarcomeric actin (ASA) and smooth muscle actin (SMA) and the endothelial cell marker CD31 (Additional file 2: Figure S1). The gene discussed is VEGFA; the disease is nasopharyngeal carcinoma.