In addition, BECN1-EEE NSCLC xenografts were poorly differentiated, exhibiting a phenotype similar to the more aggressive squamous lung cancer, and promotes de-differentiation of NSCLC xenograft from TTF-1 (homeodomain protein highly expressed in lung adenocarcinoma) positive adenocarcinomas to TTF-1 negative tumors with squamous differentiation features. The gene discussed is BECN1; the disease is non-small cell lung carcinoma.