Additionally, Hu et al. found that pro-inflammatory cytokine mRNA expression (TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-18) is upregulated in the rat SCDH after cancer inoculation, and pharmacological inhibition of VEGF-A signaling effectively reduces this tumor-induced mRNA expression in spinal microglia [25]. The gene discussed is VEGFA; the disease is neoplasm.