VEGF expression is low in all normal prostate tissue, but markedly increased in tumor tissue, and has a positive association with MVD (micro vessel density) tumor stage, grade, and disease-specific survival in patients with prostate cancer. VEGF is known to be under the influence of HIF-1α, which is also up-regulated in the majority of prostate cancer tissue. It has been shown that complete androgen blockade down-regulates VEGF expression via the HIF-1α pathway with concomitant up-regulation of thrombospondin and induction of endothelial cell apoptosis. The VEGF pathway appears to be the dominant vascular formation pathway in prostate cancer with bFGF having a lesser role.