Embodiments of the invention provide a method detecting and treating cancer, such as lung cancer. In some aspects, the method may include detecting cancer in a subject, which may comprise assessing the expression of a marker in a sample from the subject. For example, the marker may comprise Mcl-1. In some embodiments, if the subject is diagnosed as having cancer, the method may further provide administering a therapeutically effective amount of a substance that reduces the expression level of Mcl-1 to the subject and then administering a treatment modality that is known to treat the cancer.
