VEGFA and neoplasm: Emerging evidence, however, suggests that the SASP of persistent STCs can promote the malignant behaviors of neighboring cancer cells via multiple mechanisms, including (i) secretion of MMPs that degrade the extracellular matrix contributing to the proliferation and invasion of cancer cells, (ii) increased tumor angiogenesis via the secretion of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and (iii) establishment of an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment through the recruitment of immune suppressor cells [11, 36].