Of four pancreatic cancer cell lines (PANC‐1, AsPC‐1, CFPAC‐1, and PANC10.05), GEM induced senescent features in PANC‐1 and AsPC‐1 cells, including increases in the cell sizes and expression levels of mRNAs encoding interleukin (IL)‐6/IL‐8 and induction of β‐galactosidase. This evidence concerns the gene IL6 and familial pancreatic carcinoma.