The present study shows that fluvastatin inhibits proliferation, induces apoptosis in both human pancreatic cancer MIAPaCa-2 cells harbouring a p21ras mutation at codon 12 and in wild-type k-ras COLO320-DM cancer cells (although in different extent), and synergistically potentiates the cytotoxic effect of gemcitabine on these cancer cells. The gene discussed is HRAS; the disease is familial pancreatic carcinoma.