VEGFA and neoplasm: In the early stages, tumor hypoxia leads to increased expression of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α), which in turn mediates an increase in the vascular endothelial growth factor/vascular permeability factor (VEGF/VPF) [37, 38] that stimulates the growth of new, immature, leaky blood vessels (neovascularization).