The invention provides a method of promoting apoptosis in tumor cells, which can result in inhibiting tumor growth, or inhibiting tumor metastasis, or promoting tumor apoptosis, or any combination thereof, by administration of an effective amount of a focal adhesion kinase (FAK) inhibitor. The inhibitor is a small molecule organic compound. Accordingly, the focal adhesion kinase inhibitor can be used in the treatment of tumors, such as malignant cancer. For example, administration of effective amounts of the FAK inhibitor PND-1186 has been found to inhibit tumor cells in murine models for breast and ovarian cancer.
