To directly test whether p38Plk1, a cleaved form of Plk1, has anti-apoptotic function in pancreatic cancer, we established PATC148/ip38Plk1 and PATC148/ip68Plk1 cells and found that expression of p38Plk1 significantly increased cell proliferation while reducing apoptosis compared with p68Plk1 (Supplementary Fig. 10a–d), demonstrating the more pronounced function of p38Plk1 in controlling apoptosis. Here, PLK1 is linked to familial pancreatic carcinoma.