Finally, to clarify the correlation between G3BP2 and HDGF expression in ESCC, we first explore the expression status of HDGF in ESCC using public data (http://ualcan.path.uab.edu) and the result revealed that HDGF was upregulated in ESCC (Supplementary Fig. 4C), which was consistent with the expression status of G3BP2 in ESCC. Here, HDGF is linked to esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.