This invention relates to compounds, compositions, and methods useful for modulating BCL2 
gene expression using short interfering 
nucleic acid (siNA) molecules. This invention also relates to compounds, compositions, and methods useful for modulating the expression and activity of other genes involved in pathways of BCL2 
gene expression and / or activity by 
RNA interference (RNAi) using small 
nucleic acid molecules. In particular, the instant invention features small 
nucleic acid molecules, such as short interfering nucleic acid (siNA), short interfering 
RNA (siRNA), double-stranded 
RNA (dsRNA), micro-RNA (miRNA), and short hairpin RNA (shRNA) molecules and methods used to modulate the expression of BCL2 genes (e.g., BCL2, BCL-XL, BCL2-L1, MCL-1 CED-9, BAG-1, E1B-194 and / or BCL-A1). The small nucleic acid molecules are useful in the treatment of 
cancer, malignant 
blood disease, polycytemia vera, idiopathic 
myelofibrosis, essential thrombocythemia, 
myelodysplastic syndromes, 
autoimmune disease, 
viral infection, and proliferative diseases and conditions