The transcriptional activity of genes involved in the autophagy process (LAMP-2, BECN1, PINK1, FOXO1) in colorectal cancer biopsies in four clinical stages of adenocarcinoma (CSI, CSII, CSIII, CSIV) was compared with that of controls (colon samples assessed as histopathologically normal). Here, BECN1 is linked to adenocarcinoma.