Mounting studies show that gene depletion (e.g., atg5−/−, atg7−/−, or hmgb1−/−) and pharmacological inhibition (e.g., using chloroquine) of autophagy ultimately inhibit the development of pancreatic cancer in vitro and in vivo (48, 49, 50, 51), indicating increased autophagy as a potential therapeutic target in PDAC. The gene discussed is ATG7; the disease is familial pancreatic carcinoma.