TRAIL resistance has been often regarded as a tumor-autonomous property and various apoptosis resistance mechanisms have been identified such as absence of caspase-8 or elevated expression of various apoptosis blocking proteins including cellular FLICE-like inhibitory protein (cFLIP), X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis proteins (XIAPs), antiapoptotic BCL-2 family members, which have been extensively reviewed elsewhere (11, 16, 17). The gene discussed is CFLAR; the disease is neoplasm.