Though DEC1 induces senescence in vitro, the evidence that DEC1 cause senescence in vivo is not enough, and it is more likely that senescence of esophageal cells make DEC1 overexpress, since so many of genes that can induce senescence change their expression in cancer and their precursor lesions, such as Ras, p15INK4b, and p16INK4a[21], [47]. Here, BHLHE40 is linked to cancer.