Although there has been one pilot study that used immunohistochemistry to examine the expression of the BH3-only proteins, Bad, Bid and Bim, in NSCLC samples [17], the current study is the first to clarify the frequency of Bim, Noxa and Puma in a large series of NSCLCs. This evidence concerns the gene BCL2L11 and non-small cell lung carcinoma.