Analysis of the differential expression of each of the six CLIC gene family members indicated that four of the CLIC genes (CLIC1, CLIC2, CLIC5 and CLIC6) were largely unchanged while CLIC3 was down-regulated and CLIC4 was up-regulated in ESCC, respectively (Table 4). Here, CLIC6 is linked to esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.