ABSTRACT
Studies on survivin over the past several years have shown it has significant association with cancer, its encoding protein play a important role in control of mitosis and/or apoptosis and the activity of cellullar immunologic response in cancer patients. Survivin is the finding of its splice variants make it more valuble. The multi-subcellular localization of survivin is consistent with its multiple functions in cellular metabolisms and responses. The mechanisms and the subcellular localization by which these splice variants differentially affect cancer development are unclear. This review article will update the role of survivin, and its splice variants in the mitosis/cell cycle, apoptosis, tumorigenesis, chemoprevention, drug/radiation resistance, and cancer therapeutics.