Since (−)-6-epi-artemisinin (2) selectively induces apoptosis by acting solely to cancer cells, as demonstrated by the killing of epithelial cancer cells W2 but not normal Human Mammary Epithelial Cells (HMEC), (−)-6-epi-artemisinin (2) induces apoptosis upstream of Bax and Bak, and it may have potential for use as an antiproliferative agent that exploits the apoptosis pathway in tumor cells. The gene discussed is BAK1; the disease is neoplasm.