Many core autophagy genes, including BECN1, UVRAG, SH3GLB1 (Bif-1), ATG2B, ATG5, ATG9B, ATG12 and RAB7A, are frequently mutated in human cancers.9 In various murine models, depletion of essential autophagy genes promotes tumorigenesis. Here, BECN1 is linked to cancer.