Specifically, double positivity in ESCC stromal fibroblasts for Twist1 and PDGFRα (OS:P = 0.001 and DFS:P = 0.021), Twist1 and SMA (OS:P = 0.009 and DFS:P = 0.001), Twist1 and Tenascin-C (OS:P < 0.001 and DFS:P < 0.001) and Twist1 and FSP1 (OS:P < 0.001 and DFS:P = 0.001) were all very strongly correlated with reduced OS and DFS compared with controls with stromal fibroblasts that were negative for Twist1 and CAF markers (Figure 5). Here, PDGFRA is linked to esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.