Our finding that p-EGFR was highly correlated to the phosphorylation of AKT1, AKT2, ERK1/2, and STAT3 indicated that p-EGFR possibly contributed to the activation of these downstream pathways in ESCC, suggesting that the EGFR pathways might be active in some patients with ESCC. This evidence concerns the gene AKT1 and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.