During the process of tumorigenesis most colon cancer cells acquire resistance to apoptosis. The short chain fatty acid butyrate is well established as an antitumour agent which selectively induces apoptosis in colon cancer cells but not in normal intestinal epithelial cells.
Laboratory of Intestinal Immunology, Children's Hospital Medical Centre, Department of Paediatrics, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany. ruemmele@necker.fr
