The in vivo importance of hypoxia coupled with the finding that hsp expression is relevant to melanoma cell viability in low but not high oxygen tension suggests cancer cell cultures should more frequently be subjected to oxygen tension that more closely resembles in vivo levels in order to cast more light on the largely unknown influence that this condition has on the myriad of facets investigated in modern cancer research. The gene discussed is HSP90B2P; the disease is melanoma.