Apoptosis must be considered a rescue mechanism that controls the integrity of the cell erasing aberrant clones and it is likely that failure of apoptosis constitutes a key factor responsible for tumour formation, progression and resistance to drugs. Several genes (e.g. survivin, bcl-2 family, p53) are involved in these pathways. Much work still needs to be done to identify the molecular pathway of apoptosis resistance but restoration of the apoptotic response represents a crucial new therapeutic target for cancer treatment.