Within the EBV-positive subgroup, higher expression of ATG4B and ATG4D was more prevalent in regional carcinomas compared to localized or distant carcinomas (P = 0.031 for ATG4B; P = 0.048 for ATG4D), though this trend was not significant in the overall cohort (P = 0.061 for both ATG4B and ATG4D). This evidence concerns the gene ATG4B and carcinoma.