Of note, 3-methyl-2-oxovaleric acid, which was downregulated in ESCC tissues with high ILF2 expression, was also significantly decreased in highly ILF3-expressed ESCC tissues in comparison with the corresponding para-cancer tissues, suggesting that there may be a close relationship between these two binding factors and the metabolism of BCAAs during the progression of ESCC. This evidence concerns the gene ILF2 and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.