There are protein-coding gene signatures that are highly predictive of ESCC survival in both generation and validation datasets, such as the combination of EGFR, p-Sp1, and fascin; GASC1-targeted genes PPARG, MDM2, and NANOG; and a panel of Annexin II, kindlin-2, and myosin-9. Here, KDM4C is linked to esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.