The rs16917496 SNP in the miR-502 and SET8 biding site were identified for their relationships to outcome of hepatocellular carcinoma, small cell lung cancer and non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas with C/C genotype associating to longer survival in our previous study20, 21, 22, 23, which is comparable to our data in ESCC. This evidence concerns the gene KMT5A and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.