Survivin is an inhibitor of apoptosis protein (IAP) that is overexpressed in approximately 90 percent of human cancers1, 2, 3, 4 and is associated with tumour progression and poor prognosis,3,5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 making survivin an attractive target for cancer therapy.3 This evidence concerns the gene BIRC5 and neoplasm.