ATM and neoplasm: In order to understand the level of DNA damage repair and apoptosis with respect to tumor progression, a representative set of 40 tumor samples were studied for the real time expression of 15 genes (TRAIL, DR4, DR5, DCR1, DCR2, CASP8, CASP8L, FLIPL, FLIPS, BCL2, CYCS, ATM, TP53, BRCA1, BRCA2, CHEK2 and H2AX) belonging to the DDR and apoptotic pathway.