Abstract: Described herein are methods based, in part, on the discovery of genes or gene products that can be down-modulated to inhibit the growth and survival of a cell, such as a cancer cell. In one embodiment, the genes or gene targets are preferentially expressed in a cell having an activating Ras mutation (e.g., a cancer cell), which permits selective inhibition of growth in cells bearing an activating Ras mutation without affecting cells lacking enhanced Ras activity. In addition, the methods described herein provide for determining cancer prognosis in an individual bearing an activating Ras mutation.