Though aged Casp2−/− mice show apparently normal total blood counts, and do not develop spontaneous age-related tumours,18 caspase-2-deficiency strongly enhances tumour development in various mouse models.9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 This indicates that loss of caspase-2 on its own may not be sufficient to induce tumourigenesis, but increases tumour susceptibility in response to cellular stress (i.e. replicative or oncogenic stress). The gene discussed is CASP2; the disease is neoplasm.