From previously reported data, we propose that because of its acidity, the extracellular lactate (in addition to its presumed capacity to fuel cancer cells) may be cytotoxic, and induce apoptosis of host normal cells around tumors, and of normal stromal cells within tumors [94], thereby providing room for tumor cells to proliferate, for neo-angiogenesis to occur via upregulation of the vascular endothelial growth factors [95], and for metastasis to develop via enhancement of cancer cell mobility [96,97,98,99]. The gene discussed is VEGFA; the disease is neoplasm.