The relative expression level of HAX-1 mRNA was significantly higher in ESCC samples (112 samples, 0.527 ± 0.060) than that in non-neoplastic samples(112 corresponding samples, 0.121 ± 0.017) (t = -69.347, P = 0.000), and in ESCC samples with lymph node metastasis (45 samples, 0.554 ± 0.054) than that in ESCC samples without lymph node metastasis (67 samples, 0.509 ± 0.058) (t = 4.240, P = 0.000) (Table 1). The gene discussed is HAX1; the disease is metastatic malignant neoplasm in the lymph nodes.