Bortezomib was shown to stimulate autophagy in HNSCC cells in two studies showing autophagosomes formation, upregulation of LC3-I, -II, Beclin-1 and the JNK-dependent phosphorylation of Bcl-2 after Bortezomib treatment58,59. Here, BECN1 is linked to head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.