LC3/GABARAP deconjugases are specialized enzymes that precisely remove lipidated ATG8-family proteins from cellular membranes, playing a critical role in the dynamic regulation of ATG8 lipidation and delipidation (Park et al., 2023; Lee et al., 2017) This regulatory mechanism is crucial for both canonical autophagy and non-canonical pathways, allowing researchers to dissect the specific roles of membrane-anchored ATG8 proteins in diverse biological contexts, including pathological states like cancer, neurodegeneration, and immune disorders. Here, GABARAPL2 is linked to cancer.