The pro-apoptotic marker cleaved caspase-3 shows an increased immunostaining and the anti-apoptotic marker bcl-2 a decreased expression in lesions with metastatic potential as compared to PMC and encapsulated FVPTC, suggesting that apoptosis related to bcl-2 plays a role in thyroid tumorigenesis. This evidence concerns the gene CASP3 and thyroid gland disorder.