Of particular interest is that after 24 hours of aprepitant treatment (30 μM) compared with the control group, we also observed a dramatically improved enzymatic activity of caspase-8/-9, thus providing additional evidence that NK1R antagonist may contribute to the induction of ESCC cell spheres through caspase-mediated apoptosis. This evidence concerns the gene TACR1 and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.