Altogether these results indicate that the melanoma bias towards MCL1 provides a therapeutic opportunity for combination with multiple ERK1/2 pathway inhibitors, including the clinically approved BRAFV600-mutant selective inhibitor vemurafenib and MEKi such as selumetinib or trametinib, thereby promoting striking tumour cell apoptosis and enhancing tumour growth inhibition in vivo. The gene discussed is MAPK3; the disease is melanoma.