Evading apoptosis is a hallmark of cancer, and anti-apoptotic BCL-2 family proteins are frequently highly expressed in cancers. In cancer cells, aberrant DNA replication invokes replication-associated DNA damage signaling in cancer cells; however, DNA damage-induced apoptotic signals are masked by such apoptosis evasion systems. Therefore, it is considered that targeting of apoptosis is efficient for cancer cell-selective therapeutic methods. BCL-2 family proteins are critical regulators of mitochondrion-mediated apoptosis, and 'BH3-only' subfamily proteins induce apoptosis by binding to anti-apoptotic BCL-2 family proteins via their BH3 domain. BH3 mimetics are small molecules that mimic BH3-proteins by binding to anti-apoptotic BCL-2 family proteins. To date, more than 20 compounds have been identified, and their effects in cancer therapy have been analyzed. In this review, their efficacy in cancer chemotherapy will be discussed.