Apoptosis was induced by adjunctive use of rhein with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitors in pancreatic cancer cells as verified by cell apoptosis analysis and changes in the expression level of apoptotic/anti-apoptotic proteins BCL-2, BAX, Caspase 3 and Cl-PARP. The gene discussed is BAX; the disease is pancreatic neoplasm.