The present study thus demonstrates, for the first time, that both DR5 and Bcl-2 are mediated at the transcriptional level by p73 in p53 mutant, TNBC MDA-MB-231 and BT-20 human breast cancer cells treated with α-TEA combined with DOXO or CDDP as determined by siRNA knockdown assays. The gene discussed is TNFRSF10B; the disease is breast carcinoma.