This invention provides a 
treatment regimen that is effective in inhibiting 
chemotherapy-induced 
apoptosis and promoting 
cell survival. The invention also relates to a 
treatment regimen that confers resistance to 
caspase activation, thereby inhibiting 
caspase-mediated, proteolytic cleavage of functional cellular enzymes. Specifically, subjects undergoing 
chemotherapy are first exposed to a pretreatment 
regimen. Under this 
regimen, a GLP-2 
receptor activator, such as h[GLY2]-GLP2, is administered each day for a predetermined beneficial period, e.g., three consecutive days. Approximately about 1 week following pretreatment, the subjects are exposed to an appropriate 
chemotherapy treatment regimen. Pretreatment with a GLP-2 
receptor activator followed by administration of chemotherapeutic agents improves 
cell survival, reduces 
bacteremia, attenuates epithelial injury, and inhibits cellular 
apoptosis. Moreover, it does not impair the effectiveness of chemotherapy nor result in 
weight loss. The anti-apoptotic effects of GLP-2 may be useful in the reduction of cytoxicity and bacterial 
infection induced by chemotherapeutic agents.