In summary, although TRAIL monotherapy is completely inefficient in SCLC cells due to defects in initial steps of the DR-mediated pathway, combined treatment with TRAIL and conventional chemotherapeutic drugs, such as doxorubicin and etoposide, might be a promising therapeutic strategy for SCLC expressing caspase-8. The gene discussed is TNFSF10; the disease is small cell lung carcinoma.