MDK pleiotropic downstream signaling events transduced through its vast array of receptors are involved in multiple hallmarks of cancer, including proliferative signaling via direct activation of its receptors, inducing neovascularization, avoiding immune destruction via a chemotactic effect on macrophages, which are then being M2 polarized, and direct effect on promoting invasion and metastasis, as reviewed in detail by Filippou et al.13,27,28. The gene discussed is MDK; the disease is cancer.