The present findings show for the first time that in addition to chalcones (chalcone and 2’6’-dihydroxy-4’-metoxychalcone), dihydrochalcones (2’6’-dihydroxy-4’-metoxydihydrochalcone, 2’6’-dihydroxy-4,4’-dimetoxydihydrochalcone and 4,2’,4’,6’-tetrahydroxydihydrochalcone, called phloretin) also markedly augmented TRAIL-mediated apoptosis and cytotoxicity in prostate cancer cells. The gene discussed is TNFSF10; the disease is prostate cancer.