Disclosed are polypeptides comprising a first segment of continuous amino acids having the sequence AQAGKEPGGSRAHSSHLKSKKGQSTSRHKKLMFKTEGPDSD (SEQ ID NO. 1) covalently linked to a second segment of continuous amino acids having the sequence DSDPGETKFMLKKHRSTSQGKKSKLHSSHARSGGPEKGAQA (SEQ ID NO. 2), or at least two of each covalently linked to each ether. The polypeptides are shown to induce apoptosis of cancer cells that contain mutant p53 or over-expressed wild-type p53.