Low MAP4 expression was significantly associated with lower stage (χ2 = 15.857, df = 3, P = 0.001) which agreed with a study of esophageal squamous cell carcinomas (n = 364), where MAP4 expression was linked with tumour stage and lymph node metastasis (Jiang et al. 2016). The gene discussed is MAP4; the disease is neoplasm.