The functional role of both genes has been well described in cancer, with the BCL2 homologue gene BAX playing a key role in tumour apoptosis as a proapoptotic gene and APC acting as a tumour suppressor gene, which is frequently inactivated in cervical cancer by hypermethylation (LeBlanc et al, 2002; Reesink-Peters et al, 2004; Soufla et al, 2005). The gene discussed is BCL2; the disease is cervical carcinoma.