Because of the well‐established role of VHL as tumor suppressor in modulating the hypoxia‐inducible factor 1α (HIF1α) (Wang & Semenza, 1993; Maxwell et al, 1999), we decided to use FG4592, a prolyl hydroxylase (PHD) inhibitor that stabilizes HIF1α at normal oxygen levels (Guenzler‐Pukall et al, 2003; Rabinowitz, 2013). Here, HIF1A is linked to neoplasm.