BIRC5 and glioma: Recent comprehensive studies have shown that knockdown of survivin in immortalized as well as in primary glioma cells leads to immense cellular polyploidy, with cells having a DNA content up to 32n, poly-merotelic kinetochore-microtubule connections, DNA damage, and the initiation of a DNA damage response (Hendruschk et al., 2011; Wiedemuth et al., 2014; Varughese et al., 2017).