The pooled OR from 6 studies including 347 esophageal cancers and 246 normal squamous mucosa was shown in Figure 2 (OR = 2.85, CI = 2.01–4.05, P<0.00001), which indicated that RUNX3 inactivation through methylation plays an important role in the pathogenesis of esophageal cancers. The gene discussed is RUNX3; the disease is esophageal cancer.