Cancer cells have to navigate through the ECM on their metastatic journey20 and the establishment of neovasculature requires ECM remodeling.20,21 We previously identified increased matrigel degradation by VEGF overexpressing MCF-7 human breast cancer cells in an intact-cell perfusion system.9In vivo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies with VEGF overexpressing MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 tumors, revealed a significant increase of vascular volume and permeability, changes in macromolecular transport through the ECM, and increased metastasis.9 The gene discussed is VEGFA; the disease is cancer.