In the context of colon cancer, the proteins cysteine aspartic acid protease-3 (caspase 3), B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2), and B-cell lymphoma-extra large (Bcl-xL) are of particular interest due to their roles in apoptosis (programmed cell death) and their potential implications in cancer progression, including colon cancer. The gene discussed is CASP3; the disease is colonic neoplasm.