Thus, high levels of NFκB in pancreatic epithelium may potentially enhance Shh expression to promote paracrine activation of Hh-GLI signaling in stromal cells, which in turn leads to desmoplastic stromal depletion, and decrease vascularization, which reduces gemcitabine delivery to tumor sites; however, this notion remains to be elucidated. The gene discussed is SHH; the disease is neoplasm.