Our cells have an alarm system that triggers when they become sick and harmful to the body. These sick cells send emergency signals, like an S.O.S., telling the body to set up its defense. This phenomenon is called "apoptosis," which is a process of self-destruction, or programmed suicide, of cells. Most of the time this alarm system works perfectly, but there are exceptions, like in the brain cancer known as glioblastoma. Glioblastoma is a rare cancer with "only" 250,000 new cases worldwide each year. Unfortunately, it is also an aggressive cancer and to date we do not know how to cure patients suffering from glioblastoma. However, remember that every day, research makes advances in cancer treatments. Today, we know how to treat many types of cancer, such as breast cancer, so that patients can go on to live long lives.
Glioblastoma cells develop ingenious mechanisms to escape apoptosis, including the production of molecules called IAPs, which we will call "the BLOCKERS." The BLOCKERS are present in all cells to help them survive, but they are more numerous in cancer cells! In glioblastoma, the BLOCKERS intercept the S.O.S signals from the cancer cells, so that these cells cannot self-destruct.

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