To elucidate the clinical significance of FOXO3a and miR-4259 expression in the sensitivity pancreatic cancer to gemcitabine, we respectively analyzed the expression of FOXO3a and miR-4259 in pancreatic cancer patients who has been treated with gemcitabine-based adjuvant therapy and found that patients with high level of FOXO3a or miR-4259 expressions have better RFS outcomes than those low expression of FOXO3a or miR-4259 in tumours (Fig. 6A). This evidence concerns the gene FOXO3 and familial pancreatic carcinoma.