A total of nine key genes associated with paclitaxel resistance were obtained by using LASSO, in which the expression levels of MFAP2, MME, INHBA, CLDN1, PHTF2, and CCL26 were upregulated in the tumor group based on TCGA-ESCA, which is consistent with the previous reports discussed above. Here, CLDN1 is linked to neoplasm.