Our demonstration in the present study that K-Ras activated JNK in pancreatic CSLCs and that K-Ras as well as JNK was similarly required for their maintenance suggests that the K-Ras – JNK axis plays a pivotal role in the maintenance of the CSC/CSLC population of pancreatic cancer. The gene discussed is MAPK8; the disease is familial pancreatic carcinoma.