Results of a new study suggest that the miR-223–NCX1–calcium signalling axis is a potential target in the treatment of penile cancer. The researchers used quantitative PCR to compare transcript levels of the SLC8A1 gene and miR-223 in samples from men with penile cancer and those with normal glans tissues. SLC8A1 was underexpressed in penile cancer samples and was associated with reduced calcium distribution, which can lead to suppression of apoptosis and increased proliferation of tumour cells. Overexpression of miR-223 was inversely correlated with expression of SLC8A1, its believed repressor.