The current results clearly indicate that administration of HPV-16 E7 DNA vaccine adjuvanted with Beclin-1 when compared with vaccine alone induces: (a) higher E7-specific lymphocyte proliferation, (b) a strong E7-specific cytotoxic response, (c) greater IFN-γ production, and (d) reduction in tumor size. This evidence concerns the gene BECN1 and neoplasm.