ADAMTS9 and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: The risk coefficients suggested that ADAMTS9-AS1, LINC01497, and MAMDC2-AS1 were risk factors for ESCC (coef > 0), whereas DLX6-AS1, LINC00470, LINC00520, LINC01749, and SSTR5-AS1 appeared to be protective factors (coef < 0) (Table 3).