In this framework, researchers have suggested that caspase-8 is essential for the activation of the p38 pathway through death receptors [33], while others pointed out that an enhanced activation of p38 kinase pathway may result in caspase-8 activation and enhancement of apoptosis, based on experiments in a human astrocytoma cell line [34]. The gene discussed is CASP8; the disease is astrocytoma (excluding glioblastoma).