The time-dependent decline of cFLIP levels in neoplastic and non-neopl+astic pTECs is not a general feature of ex vivo established cell cultures: a prostate cancer primary cell culture and several primary fibroblast cultures derived from different tumors did not show a drop in cFLIP expression on prolonged cell culture (data not shown). The gene discussed is CFLAR; the disease is prostate carcinoma.