To verify that the synergistic antitumor activity observed during AZA/everolimus coincubation was indeed due to the increased expression in NGFR, we assessed the effects of both drugs alone or in combination on MZ‐CRC‐1 cell proliferation and protein expression of Bax and Bcl‐2 after 6 days of treatment, in the presence or absence of a neutralizing antibody raised against NGFR (Fig. 9). This evidence concerns the gene BCL2 and colorectal carcinoma.