It has been shown that in breast cancers, ASC-induced apoptosis proceeds through a CARD-dependent aggregation step followed by activation of a caspase-9-mediated pathway.(35) Interestingly, both ASC and DAPK1 gene promoters are reported to be hypermethylated in prostate carcinoma, including the PC-3 cell line.(36–39) Methylation in the promoter often involves loss of function of a gene and thus plays an essential role in maintaining normal cell function. The gene discussed is CASP9; the disease is breast cancer.