[The types of cell death].

Apoptosis was long considered the major mechanism of programmed cell death. However, results obtained during the last years have proved that chemotherapeuticals as well as a number of other factors may induce modes of cell death different from apoptosis. The identified mechanisms include mitotic catastrophe, autophagy, necrosis and, in the context of cancer therapy, senescence. The purpose of the following review is a general description of these processes.