It has been reported that although numerous non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) cell lines and tumours express Apaf-1, PC-9 and procaspase-3 (PC-3) proteins in levels sufficient to launch the apoptosome pathway, their capability of the apoptosome-dependent caspase activation may be low or absent (25–28). Here, APAF1 is linked to non-small cell lung carcinoma.