This function of a tumour suppressor is also supported by our finding that inhibition of endogenous SPARC resulted in a doubling of the mitogenic activity of FGF1 and FGF2, two ligands of the FGF family known to be over-expressed in the majority of pancreatic cancers and to correlate with poor prognosis (Yamanaka et al, 1993). Here, FGF1 is linked to neoplasm.