Collectively, our results reveal that overexpression miR-548k may promote lymphangiogensis and lymphatic metastasis of ESCC through modulating the conversation between tumor cells and lymphatic endothelial cells in tumor microenvironment via ADAMTS1/VEGFC/VEGFR3 cascade (Fig. 5f). The gene discussed is VEGFC; the disease is esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.