Reportedly, miR-133b impedes the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/AKT serine/threonine kinase 1(PI3K/AKT) signaling pathway by targeting the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), thereby restraining the proliferation and metastasis of ESCC cells and enhancing apoptosis (21). This evidence concerns the gene EGFR and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.