But no significant differences were observed in the ESCC patients with 3FLND.Thus, patients with high SPRY4-IT1 expression might benefit from 3FLND esophagectomy. Based on our work, the high expression of SPRY4-IT1 might be used as a promising indicator for selecting three-field lymph node dissection for thoracic ESCC patients. This evidence concerns the gene HAUS3 and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.