In a word, our study revealed that HCG11/miR-579-3p/MDM2 acted as a ceRNA network to promote the progression of pancreatic carcinoma by activating Notch/Hes1 pathway, further affirming the importance of MDM2/Notch/Hes1 in pancreatic carcinoma. Here, MDM2 is linked to exocrine pancreatic carcinoma.