INTRODUCTION: When apoptosis is disrupted, the transformed cells can survive, 
proliferate, and evolve into a malignancy. The strictly conserved caspase genes 
and the reliable experimental data clearly show that some caspases play a 
crucial role in apoptosis even if some of them have no apoptotic activity and 
others exhibit both apoptotic and nonapoptotic properties. Although caspase-2 
belongs to initiator caspases, its normal role remains unclear. Experimental 
studies have shown that it is primarily necessary for the execution of apoptosis 
in mutagenic cells. Human caspase-5 is classified as an inflammatory caspase, 
although its substrate has not been identified yet. In this research, the 
activities of caspase-2 and caspase-5 have been estimated during the progression 
of human cervical malignancy.
METHODS: The experimental material includes human cervical tissue samples 
(normal and pathological) and blood serum samples of the corresponding tissue 
donors, where enzyme activities have been measured colorimetrically.
RESULTS: Both caspases' activities showed the highest increase, statistically 
significant (P < 0.01, by t test) compared with the controls, in the low-grade 
squamous intraepithelial lesion tissues. Caspase-2 of all pathological tissues 
was proved more active than the controls. Serum caspases' activities were 
significantly lower than those of the tissues. Serum caspase-2's activity in 
patients with low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion stage showed no 
statistically significant increase compared with the controls. Serum caspase-5's 
activity of all patients with malignancy stages was presented elevated, whereas 
that of the serum of patients with cervical cancer had the highest activity (P < 
0.01, by t test).
CONCLUSIONS: The changes of caspase-2 and caspase-5 activities could be 
indicative of their involvement in the cervical malignancy mechanisms.