The 39 patients with ESCC were classified into the following two groups according to the NKILA expression level in their tumor tissues: a higher NKILA expression group (n = 19, NKILA expression level > median expression level) and a low NKILA expression group (n = 17, NKILA expression level ≤ median level). This evidence concerns the gene NKILA and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.