Defects in the apoptotic machinery of cancer cells: role in drug resistance.

The therapeutic goal in cancer treatment is to trigger tumor-selective cell death. Since many antineoplastic agents induce an apoptotic type of death in susceptible cells, it is likely that dysfunction of the apoptotic machinery might be an important determinant of resistance to anticancer drugs. Here we review known differences in the apoptotic machinery in cancer cells, and how this knowledge can be used to increase the efficiency of tumor treatment.