The OR was 2.342 (95% CI: 1.655–3.313, Fig. 2), and significant difference (p = 0.000) was observed in the rate of participants with low IGFBP-3 level between patients with lung cancer and healthy subjects, which suggested the low IGFBP-3 level was associated with high risk of esophageal cancer, and individuals with low IGFBP-3 level were at high risk of esophageal cancer. The gene discussed is IGFBP3; the disease is esophageal cancer.