In our work, the treatment of RA patients with the DMARDs methotrexate and anti-TNF-α prescribed to early- and long-standing RA patients, respectively, increased RBC ER-α expression, p-ERK1/2 content, oxidative stress related parameters as well as the content of survivin, an inhibitor of the apoptotic pathway. The gene discussed is TNF; the disease is rheumatoid arthritis.