Nakashima et al. demonstrated that gemcitabine can induce activation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and MAPK-activated protein kinase 2 (MAPKAPK-2) in the Panc1 pancreatic cancer cell line, and the activation of these kinases results in the phosphorylation of Hsp27 at Ser15, 78, and 82 residues. The gene discussed is HSPB1; the disease is familial pancreatic carcinoma.