Ribavirin was discovered to mimic m7G-cap and compete for direct binding to eIF4E to block eIF4E-cap complex, leading to selective anti-proliferative activity in cancer, e.g., ribavirin selectively inhibits the translation of eIF4E-dependent oncogenes, i.e., BCL2, MYC, MCL1, etc., but it does not affect eIF4E-independent housekeeping genes in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) [122]. This evidence concerns the gene EIF4E and acute lymphoblastic leukemia.