HDGF and cancer: Among the prognostic genes, several genes are involved in a number of pathways regulating pancreatic cancer development: the gene UCK2 is vital for regulating apoptosis; the HDGF gene is considered a jack of all trades in cancer [33]; SSR2 gene inhibition lowers cancer loads in vitro [34]; the USP21 gene is the master regulator of the Hippo pathway [35]; MUC16 regulates pancreatic cancer cell metastasis [36]; and, the STOML2 gene is a prognostic biomarker for pancreatic cancer [37].