Following paclitaxel stimulation with varying concentrations for 48 h, paclitaxel IC50 values in EphA2 cDNA plasmid-transfected, parent and vector plasmid-transfected 5-8F cells were 3.8±0.52, 1.3±0.06 and 1.4±0.05 nM/l, respectively, indicating that EphA2 upregulation enhanced the survival of 5-8F NPC cells compared with control cells exposed to the same concentrations of paclitaxel (Fig. 1B). The gene discussed is EPHA2; the disease is nasopharyngeal carcinoma.