In HNSCC, miR-34a plays an inhibitory role by shaping a microenvironment favorable for tumor growth; a recent study demonstrated that miR-34a differentially modulate endothelial cell growth, migration and tube formation through a vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) mediated machinery in the microenvironments of pre-cancerous lesions and cancers [160]. The gene discussed is VEGFA; the disease is head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.