In the present study, 10 lncRNAs (HOTAIR, AFAP1-AS1, POU3F3, HNF1A-AS1, 91H, PlncRNA1, SPRY4-IT1, ENST00000435885.1, XLOC_013104 and ENST00000547963.1) that were previously reported with deregulated expression in esophageal cancer were selected as candidate diagnostic makers [16–23]. The gene discussed is SPRY4; the disease is esophageal cancer.