In addition, the data from immunohistochemical analyses have indicated that the markers associated with hypoxia (CAIX), pancreatic cancer stem/progenitor cells (CD44 and CD24) and autophagy (beclin-1 and microtubule-associated protein light chain 3 ‘LC3’) were co-expressed in PDAC tissue specimens from patients [51]. Here, CD44 is linked to familial pancreatic carcinoma.