BCL2 and cancer: Furthermore, a prominent feature of cancer cells is their resistance to apoptosis, a fundamental part of cell regulation and tissue homeostasis.39 In cancer cells, reduced apoptosis has been shown to be due to an imbalance in the Bcl-2:Bax ratio, a family of proteins responsible for the intrinsic apoptotic pathway.39 In a study by Manikandan et al,41 anti-cancerous effects of neem leaf extracts were evaluated in DMBA-induced hamster buccal pouch (HBP) carcinogenesis.