Cytarabine and decitabine treatment resulted in significantly higher intracellular levels of cholesterol and HMGCR (3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl-coenzyme A reductase), the rate-limiting enzyme in the cholesterol synthesizing mevalonate pathway, in cultured AML and non-malignant cells. The gene discussed is HMGCR; the disease is acute myeloid leukemia.