MiR-16 was one of the earliest miRNAs found to be involved in cancers; it could suppress apoptosis and promote cell growth by down-regulating reversion-inducing-cysteine-rich protein with Kazal motifs (RECK) and sex-determining region Y-box (Sox) 6, two genes that play important roles in the pathogenesis of ESCC (18). Here, RECK is linked to cancer.