TGFB1 and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: A large number of signaling pathways participate in the EMT process of human cancer.9 The superfamily of transforming growth factor‐β (TGF‐β) plays a significant part in tumorigenic as well as metastatic processes of ESCC.9 By ligand binding to type II receptor, the cascade of TGF‐β signaling pathway is initiated.