The present invention provides novel compositions and methods for use in the treatment of Bcl-2-associated diseases like cancer, specifically, in the treatment of follicular lymphoma (FL). The compositions contain antisense oligonucleotides that hybridize to Bcl-2 nucleic acids, the gene products of which are known to interact with the tumorigenic protein Bcl-2. Used alone, or in conjunction with other antisense oligonucleotides, these compositions inhibit the proliferation of FL cancer cells.