Furthermore, increased levels of O2•− (associated with low levels of SOD) might be more beneficial to cancer cells in the early stages of tumor development where oxidative stress within the tumor mass is still low; increased levels of H2O2 (associated with high levels of SOD) might have a more prominent role at later stages of tumor progression, lowering unspecific damage of cellular components, while increasing H2O2 dependent signaling pathways. The gene discussed is SOD1; the disease is cancer.