BECN1 and chronic hepatitis: In this study we evaluated the expression of Beclin 1 and of some pro- and anti-apoptotic members of the Bcl-2 family in liver tissues obtained from chronic liver disease patients in various stages in a cross-sectional study with a view to shedding light on their role in the natural history of chronic liver disease and its progression from chronic hepatitis to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma.