Platinum-based chemotherapy continues to be an essential component of the drug regimens given to patients with a variety of cancers including breast, colon, long, testicular and ovarian. Although initially most patients respond to treatment with tumor shrinkage, in many cases, the cancer comes back resistant. We have discovered a new mechanism involving a protein called sec61beta through which one can affect tumor cell resistance to the platinum drugs, as well as to a variety of other commonly used chemotherapeutics. By understanding this mechanism, we may potentially be able to modify it to increase chemotherapy sensitivity in a variety of cancers.