The notion that the activation of signal pathways associated with cell proliferation and resistance to apoptosis may, at least partially, explain the aggressiveness of pancreatic cancer which is supported by our findings that several mediators of such effects (amphiregulin, heparin-binding EGF like growth factor, epiregulin and vascular endothelial growth factor C) and their corresponding receptors were upregulated. The gene discussed is HBEGF; the disease is familial pancreatic carcinoma.