Additional analysis comparing the distribution of HMGA2 expression levels in the 52 ESCC samples with that found in the 52 normal surrounding tissues and in a group of 6 normal esophageal samples (from healthy individuals) showed a significant increase (30-fold increase) in the expression median of ESCC group when compared to the two other groups (Supplementary Figure S1). Here, HMGA2 is linked to esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.