CASP3 and neoplasm: The expression of procaspase-3, the inactive precursor of the apoptosis effector caspase-3, was higher in tumour tissue in comparison to healthy tissue; accordingly, caspase-3 activity was significantly higher in the normal tissue (average activity 154.94 mU/μg) than in tumour tissue (average activity 79.85 mU/μg) (Figure 3, panels A and B).