More importantly, our results demonstrate for the first time that the CD44+/CD133+ tumor-initiating cells, or pancreatic cancer stem cells, have a low level of miR-34 accompanied by a high level of Bcl-2, suggesting a potential link of miR-34 and its target Bcl-2 to pancreatic cancer stem cells. The gene discussed is CD44; the disease is pancreatic neoplasm.