TGFB1 and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: TGFβ family consists of three isoforms, TGFβ1, TGFβ2, and TGFβ3, and plays an important role in the cell growth and death, differentiation, immune response, angiogenesis and inflammation.[6, 7] Although efforts have been made to determine the pathological relevance of TGFβ family, the mechanistic basis and clinical significance of TGFβ in ESCC remains to be elucidated.