Consistent with immnostainig results in ESCC tissue, a dramatic reduction of Renilla luciferase activity was observed in C/C genotype of SET8. These results indicate that the rs16917496 SNP in the 3′ UTR of SET8 changed the binding affinity between miR-502 and SET8 so as to affect SET8 expression. The gene discussed is KMT5A; the disease is esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.