HOXA-AS2 is upregulated in pancreatic cancer tissue, promoting pancreatic cancer cell proliferation and reducing apoptotic rates in vitro (PANC-1 and BxPC-3 cell lines), and plays an important role in pancreatic cancer cells tumorigenesis in vivo (xenograft assays using BxPC-3 cells into BALB/c mice). The gene discussed is HOXA-AS2; the disease is familial pancreatic carcinoma.