In contrast to most other anti-cancer agents, PNC-27 induces tumor cell necrosis by inducing transmembrane pore formation which is independent of intracellular processes, e.g., it does not depend on the presence of specific signal transduction pathways, the action of p53 and/or of other apoptosis-inducing agents, and/or avoidance of MDR gene products but depends only on the expression of HDM-2 in the cancer cell membrane. This evidence concerns the gene MDM2 and cancer.