VEGFA and neoplasm: MFGE8 has been shown to regulate tumorigenesis through multiple mechanisms: enhancing phagocytosis of apoptotic cells by endothelial and epithelial cells [39, 40]; inducing tumor mesenchymal phenotype through the activation of Akt [41]; as well as promoting vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-induced angiogenesis by binding to avb3/b5 integrins [42].