In addition, lncRNA MALAT1 is upregulated in hepatocellular carcinoma and exerts oncogenic function through activating Wnt pathway by induction of splicing factor SRSF1.33 Besides, antisense lncRNA EZR‐AS1 promotes the mobility and invasiveness of ESCC cells through enhancing SMYD3‐dependent H3K4 methylation and transcription of the EZR gene.34 These findings indicate that lncRNAs are novel critical regulators of tumorigenesis, and an ongoing effort is needed to identify novel esophageal cancer associated lncRNAs and determine their functional roles in esophageal cancer development. This evidence concerns the gene MALAT1 and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.