VEGFA and neoplasm: 53 Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF-A) was discovered in 1983 and sequenced completely in 1989. It was the first cytokine characterized as a major contributor to tumor angiogenesis, 52,54,55 was originally purified from tumor cell ascites as vascular permeability factor (VPF), 53 and also reported to have some biological effects on EC mitogenesis; thus, VPF is generally referred to as VEGF. 54,56,57