Low OTUD3 expression significantly correlated with clinicopathological characteristics, including tumor size (P < 0.001), LN metastasis (P = 0.002), pathological grades (P = 0.04), and clinical stages (P < 0.001; Supplementary Fig. 2a and Supplementary Table 2), indicating a reverse correlation with esophageal cancer malignancy. The gene discussed is OTUD3; the disease is neoplasm.