Methods of treating an individual who has been identified as having glycolysis dependent cancer are disclosed. The methods comprise the step of: administering to suc an individual a combination of an anti-cancer composition that renders the cancer incapable of glycolysis and an autophagy inhibitor. Pharmaceutical compositions and kits comprising that renders the cancer incapable of glycolysis and an autophagy inhibit are also disclosed. Methods of treating an individual who has a disease characterized b cell degeneration and cell death due to autophagy are disclosed. The methods comprise administering to the individual a permeable form of a metabolic substrate that can be oxidized in the tricarboxylic acid cycle to produce NADH. Methods for identifying an autophagy inhibitor comprising performing a test assay using an apopto sis-resistant cell are disclosed.
