VEGFA and neoplasm: M2-macrophages play an important role in tumor progression and metastasis via angiogenesis through their production of angiogenic factors such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) [23, 24], and play a role in tumor invasion via a matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-dependent mechanism through their production of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) [25].