For patients in TNM category, the OR was 4.110 (95% CI: 1.850–9.160, p = 0.000, Fig. 4), signifying that for esophageal cancer patients in TNM category, the IGFBP-3 level in patients with III–IV tumor stage was significantly lower than that in patients with other tumor stages. This evidence concerns the gene IGFBP3 and esophageal cancer.