This suggests that response rates could be improved using a predictive biomarker to prospectively select patients with heightened MAPK signaling dependence for treatment, or by combining MEK/ERK inhibitors with anti-cancer agents targeting alternate mechanisms of cell survival (i.e., alternate oncogenic pathway inhibitors, cytotoxic chemotherapy, anti-apoptotic inhibitors, or immuno-therapies). Here, MAP2K7 is linked to cancer.