Mononuclear blood cells and leukocytes from leukemia patients had several-fold higher HMGCR activity than those from healthy subjects; HMGCR was upregulated by up to 50-fold in stimulated lymphocytes; upregulation of mevalonate pathway was correlated with lower survival of patients with acute myeloid leukemia. Here, HMGCR is linked to acute myeloid leukemia.