Our results showed that following metformin treatment, LC3B expression was increased in FaDu cells, and the levels of LC3B, Beclin-1, and the phosphorylation of p27(Thr198) were raised in FaDu but not in Detroit 551 cells, suggesting the activation of autophagy by metformin occurred in hypopharyngeal cancer FaDu cells (Figure 5A,B). This evidence concerns the gene BECN1 and hypopharynx cancer.