We went on to show that oncogenic KRAS increases Survivin expression by activating extracellular signal–regulated kinase 1/2 in pancreatic cancer cells and that treating the cells either with siRNAs targeting Survivin or with YM155, a small molecule that potently blocks Survivin expression, downregulates MYC and strongly inhibited their growth. Here, MYC is linked to familial pancreatic carcinoma.