PROM1 and neoplasm: Preclinical studies indicated that the sensitivity of tumour cells to radiation therapy could be enhanced by co-treatment with autophagy inducers, such as rapamycin, both in vitro and in lung cancer xenograft models.17 Consistently, treatment with autophagy inhibitors, such as 3-methyladenine, is associated with reduced sensitivity to radiation in models of advanced papillary thyroid cancer.18 In sharp contrast, autophagy induction contributes to radiation resistance of CD133+ tumour cells, suggesting that autophagy inhibitors could be employed to radiosensitize cancer cells.19