The subject invention pertains to materials and methods for treating oncological disorders. The subject invention also pertains to materials and methods for preventing or reducing the development by cancer cells of resistance to an anticancer therapy, such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy and/or immunotherapy. In one embodiment, a patient is treated with an agent that inhibits cholesterol synthesis or that prevents or reduces the increase in cholesterol synthesis observed in therapy-resistant cancer cells. In another embodiment, a patient is treated with an agent that increases the expression, activity, or amount of a Bim protein in a cell. In another embodiment, a patient is treated with an agent to inhibit or reduce cancer cell adhesion to extracellular matrices or stromal cells. In another embodiment, a patient is treated with an agent to inhibit expression of a gene of function of a protein of the FANC/BRCA pathway. In a further embodiment, a patient is treated with an agent to prevent or reduce the DNA crosslink repair function of a cell.
