The present invention is based on the seminal discovery of a synergistic effect for combinations of oligoamines with 2-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO) for treatment of cancer. The invention provides combinations of at least one inhibitor of a histone demethylase enzyme and at least one inhibitor of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC). The invention also provides methods for treatment of cancer using such combinations and methods for altering methylation in a cell using such combinations. The invention provides that certain silenced genes can be re-expressed using combinations disclosed herein.
