The disclosure relates to improved therapeutic methods for treating cancer patients. The methods include a method for treating cancer in a subject comprising administering an effective amount of a BACH1 inhibitor and an ETC inhibitor to the subject. Further aspects of the disclosure relate to a method for treating cancer in a subject comprising: administering a first therapeutic regimen comprising an ETC inhibitor to the subject after a biological sample from the subject was determined to have a decreased or substantially the same level of expression of BACH1 relative to a control sample or to a cut-off value; wherein the first therapeutic regimen excludes a BACH1 inhibitor; or administering a second therapeutic regimen comprising a BACH1 inhibitor and an ETC inhibitor to the subject after a biological sample from the subject was determined to have an increased level of expression of BACH1 relative to a control sample or a cut-off value.