As shown in Figure 5, GC patients with peritoneal metastasis harbored an increased proportion of VEGF-expressing macrophages in CD45+ leukocytes collected from peritoneal lavage, compared to GC patients with peritoneal seeding (no metastasis v.s. metastasis, 1.988±0.306% v.s. 3.008±0.289%, p<0.05). The gene discussed is VEGFA; the disease is gastric cancer.