Furthermore, lymphatic vessels are a favorable route of metastasis since primary tumors can express lymphangiogenic growth factors, vascular endothelial growth factor-C (VEGF-C) and VEGF-D, which promote tumor-associated lymphangiogenesis thus leading to invasion into the lymphatic vasculature, lymph node metastasis, and tumor dissemination6,7,12,13. The gene discussed is VEGFD; the disease is neoplasm.