These results are not consistent with those of previous studies, which reported that HIC-5 enhanced EMT in breast cancer and prostate cancer cells, as well as promoted metastasis in breast cancer and hepatocellular carcinoma.21,23,50 In our tissue microarray, no correlation was shown between HIC-5 expression in ESCC cells and cancer progression, which suggests that HIC-5 contributes to ESCC progression mainly through the medium of CAFs. This evidence concerns the gene TGFB1I1 and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.