Because levels of α-PheRS are elevated in many tumor cells compared to their healthy counterparts, and because a positive correlation between these levels and tumorigenic events had been noted some time ago (Sen et al., 1997), it was important to find out whether elevated PheRS levels are a mere consequence of the high metabolic activity of the tumor cells or whether they might also contribute to overproliferation of tumor cells. This evidence concerns the gene FARSA and neoplasm.