Functionally, RBM33 is indispensable for the progression of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC): by recruiting ALKBH5 to demethylate and stabilize DDIT4 mRNA, RBM33 promotes autophagy and thereby drives tumorigenesis (24) (Figure 1). Here, DDIT4 is linked to head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.