PITX1 and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: Although downregulation of PITX1 was reported in various types of human cancer, including colon cancer cell lines, prostate and bladder tumors [10], lung [11], and gastric cancers [12], Barrett’s-adenocarcinoma [13], oral tumors [14] and malignant melanoma [15], this report is the first to show a role for PITX1 in ESCC.