While some studies indicated that Bcl-2 and Bcl-XL gene expression increases with progression of malignant melanoma (Leiter et al, 2000; Utikal et al, 2002), others found that Bcl-2 and Bcl-XL did not correlate to progression of the disease (Gradilone et al, 2003). This evidence concerns the gene BCL2L1 and melanoma.