A first pathophysiological scenario where caspase-8 is limited are tumor cells that evade from apoptotic surveillance mechanisms by down-regulation of caspase-8 expression, for example by DNA methylation or caspase-8 gene deletion (e.g., references Grotzer et al., 2000; Teitz et al., 2000; Fulda et al., 2001; Shivapurkar et al., 2002; Hopkins-Donaldson et al., 2003). This evidence concerns the gene CASP8 and neoplasm.