While p53-responsive elements are located in − 1,394 bp and − 2,285 bp regions of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 1A (CDKN1A; also known as p21) promoter, SELENBP1-responsive elements are located within approximately ∼ 1,300 bp to ∼ 200 bp region of the p21 upstream promoter, and SELENBP1 upregulates p21 expression through a p53-independent mechanism transcriptionally and through phosphorylation attenuation of c-Jun and STAT1, leading to the G0/G1 phase cell cycle arrest, thereby inducing attenuation of cancer cell growth (Wang et al., 2020). This evidence concerns the gene SELENBP1 and cancer.