VEGF-D(ilated) lymphatics as gateways to metastasis

VEGF-C and VEGF-D have been implicated in lymphatic metastasis, mainly as inducers of new intra/peritumoral capillary lymphatics. In this issue of Cancer Cell, Karnezis and colleagues challenge this notion and demonstrate that tumor-derived VEGF-D promotes metastasis by causing prostaglandin-dependent dilation of collecting lymphatics outside of the tumor mass.