Because of the key role of p53 in UVB-induced apoptosis, cell cycle arrest and skin cancer, we reasoned that lincRNA-p21 could have a critical functional role in UVB-induced apoptosis and/or cell cycle arrest in keratinocytes and its loss in the evasion of apoptosis and/or defective cell cycle control and the pathogenesis of skin cancer. The gene discussed is CDKN1A; the disease is skin cancer.