In early stages of tumourigenesis, autophagy can play an antitumour role, and loss of positive regulators of autophagy, such as Beclin 1, Bax interacting factor-1, ultraviolet radiation resistance-associated gene, death-related kinase 1, phosphatase and tensin homolog, liver kinase B1 and Atg4c trigger tumour development (4). This evidence concerns the gene BECN1 and neoplasm.