The lack of a driver role for p53 in SMYD2-mediated tumor cell proliferation is consistent with observations by Komatsu et al. (27) depicting that 1) although overall survival rates were significantly worse for SMYD2-positive compared to SMYD2-negative p53-negative ESCC patients, no significant difference in overall survival was noted between SMYD2-positive and SMYD2-negative patients in the p53-positive group, and 2) the inhibition of ESCC cell proliferation with SMYD2 knockdown was independent of p53. Here, TP53 is linked to esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.