We have previously shown that ASCL1 is capable of performing both context-dependent proliferative and differentiation functions in neuroblastoma, a paediatric cancer originating from immature sympathoadrenal precursors of the PNS (Matthay et al., 2016; Jansky et al., 2021), where ASCL1 is normally a member of the adrenergic subtype core regulatory gene circuit driving growth (Boeva et al., 2017; van Groningen et al., 2017; Wang et al., 2019). The gene discussed is ASCL1; the disease is cancer.