Mounting evidence shows that upregulated SMAD7 mRNA level, prolonged SMAD7 mRNA or protein stabilities, and dysregulated biological functions of SMAD7 in various types of cancers can be attributable to multiple transcription factors/co-factors38,39, non-coding RNAs8,9,11,40,41 and molecules involved in protein post-translational modifications10,12,13,42–44. The gene discussed is SMAD7; the disease is cancer.