These findings are supported by those of studies from other laboratories showing that MALAT1 is highly expressed in pancreatic cancer tissues compared with adjacent non-cancerous tissues; MALAT1 expression levels are positively correlated with clinical stages, lymph node metastases and distant metastases; and MALAT1 expression is an unfavourable prognostic factor in patients with pancreatic cancer41, 42. The gene discussed is MALAT1; the disease is pancreatic neoplasm.