VEGFA and infection: CXCL2 is produced in response to infection or injury by various cell types including macrophages and is known to act as a chemotactic factor that attracts neutrophils by binding receptors, including CXCR1 and CXCR2.28,29 In addition, a previous study showed that CXCL2 induced angiogenesis through VEGFA release from neutrophils30 and promoted angiogenesis, cell migration and tumour growth in a hepatic metastasis of colon cancer model.31 The results of our GC study were also in line with these previous studies.