This MITF318K mutation leads to altered MITF activity and, although the transcription of some melanogenic genes remains unchanged, one consequence of the mutation is transcription of hypoxia-inducible factor 1-alpha (HIF1-α), which provides a growth advantage to cancer cells (Bertolotto et al., 2011; Ghiorzo et al., 2013; Yokoyama et al., 2011). This evidence concerns the gene HIF1A and cancer.