Disease models of cancer: apoptosis

Other than patient survival, the most important endpoint in cancer therapy is tumor regression. To achieve this endpoint, most non-invasive therapeutic modalities, with the exception of anti-angiogenic approaches that are beyond the scope of this review, rely on the direct blocking of malignant cell division and/or enhancing cell-death. Therefore, a crucial component of pre-clinical oncology drug development is the study and monitoring of cell-death in tumor and normal tissues. Here, we discuss recent developments in this key area of cancer drug discovery.