BECN1 and hepatocellular carcinoma: Allelic loss of the essential autophagy regulator BECLIN1 (BECN1) is observed in over 50% of human breast, ovarian, and prostate cancers ( Aita et al., 1999), and Becn1+/- mice are susceptible to hepatocellular carcinomas, lung adenocarcinomas, lymphomas, and mammary gland hyperplasias ( Qu et al., 2003;  Yue et al., 2003).