The anti‐cancer effects of HMBA are mediated mostly by HMBA‐inducible protein 1 (HEXIM1) (He et al, 2006; Turano et al, 2006; Yoshikawa et al, 2012; Ketchart et al, 2013, 2016; Lama et al, 2017). This evidence concerns the gene HEXIM1 and cancer.