The molecular basis and potential role of survivin in cancer diagnosis andtherapy

Despite its genetic complexity and multifactoriality, two processes appear almost universally compromised in cancer: the control of cell proliferation and the regulation of cell lifespan. Survivin is a recently described mole cule that has been implicated in both processes, and is overexpressed in mo st human cancers. The exploitation of the survivin signaling pathway might provide important predictive and prognostic clues in cancer diagnosis, and offer new therapeutic alternatives for cancer treatment.