TP53 and cancer: In clinical phase I/II trials, a therapeutic agent binds to both DR4 and DR5 receptors, activating the extrinsic apoptotic pathway. As this pathway functions independently of p53, the agent potentially circumvents tumor cell resistance to traditional treatments, selectively inducing apoptosis in cancer cells and sparing healthy ones (Herbst et al., 2010; Ashkenazi, 2008; Ashkenazi and Herbst, 2008; Ashkenazi et al., 2008; Ashkenazi et al., 1999; Pollack et al., 2001; Lawrence et al., 2001; Qin et al., 2001)