Abstract: The present invention provides a biomarker for selecting a patient for treatment with gossypol, wherein the biomarker comprises an elevated expression level of c-Myc, Mcl-1, or combination thereof, relative to the normal expression level of c-Myc, Mcl-1, or combination thereof. The present invention also provides methods for targeting patients for treatment with gossypol, wherein the patient has a disease, condition, or disorder that overexpresses c-Myc, Mcl-1, or combination thereof. The present invention also provides methods for treating or ameliorating a disease, condition, or disorder in a patient comprising determining the expression level of c-Myc, Mcl-1, or combination thereof in the patient and administering gossypol to the patient. In certain embodiments of the invention, the disease is cancer, and the cancer cells show elevated expression levels of c-Myc compared to non-cancerous cells.

Abstract: Provided herein are methods for selecting and treating a subject with leukemia, wherein the subject is selected for treatment and is treated with an MDM2 inhibitor because said subject's cells contain an FLT3-ITD mutation.