As an example, the multi-kinase inhibitor sorafenib, recently approved for the treatment of renal cancer and currently undergoing clinical trials for a wide range of human cancers, downregulates Mcl-1 and cellular inhibitor of apoptosis-2 expression sensitising cancer cells to tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL)-induced cell death (Ricci et al, 2007). Here, BIRC3 is linked to cancer.