BCL2 and cancer: Evasion of cell death is considered an essential requirement for the development of cancer.2 Impaired apoptosis in cancer cells (particularly in hematological malignancies) often results from deregulated expression of pro-survival or pro-apoptotic members of the BCL-2 protein family.48 In cells undergoing neoplastic transformation, apoptosis can be triggered by stress conditions induced by newly acquired oncogenic mutations (e.g. deregulated c-MYC expression) or by limiting availability of nutrients or growth factors from the tumor micro-environment.