miR-135a has been reported to influence the biological behaviours of many tumours, for example, by inhibiting growth in renal cell carcinoma and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma by targeting c-MYC and Bmi117, 18, inhibiting invasion and metastasis in early gastric cancer by downregulating ROCK119, and increasing apoptosis and improving disease-free survival in lymphoma20. Here, MYC is linked to hereditary clear cell renal cell carcinoma.