Gankyrin is an ankyrin-repeat oncoprotein1, 2 with potent cell-cycle stimulatory and anti-apoptotic properties that is overexpressed early in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and whose upregulation is associated with poor prognosis in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), glioblastomas, colorectal, pancreatic and lung carcinomas3, 4, 5. The gene discussed is PSMD10; the disease is esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.