Consistent with this finding, a recent study demonstrates that a small-molecule activator of ULK1, known to be required to initiate the autophagy process, exerts anti-TNBC activity by inducing autophagy-associated cell death.28 Given that targeting of cancer stem cells (CSCs) is crucial for the effectiveness of the therapy,29, 30 the effect of RL71 on the expression of stemness markers CD44+/CD24−/low in TNBC was also tested. This evidence concerns the gene CD44 and cancer.