The analysis also showed differential expression of genes belonging to cancer-associated and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-associated pathways, which is consistent with the observation that exposure to S. mansoni soluble egg antigen induces increased production of VEGF in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (34), as well as the report of elevated serum and urine VEGF protein levels in bladder cancer patients infected with S. haematobium (18, 35). Here, VEGFA is linked to urinary bladder cancer.