Mechanistically, GK‐IT1 competitively bound to mitogen‐activated protein kinase 1 (MAPK1) to prevent the interaction between dual specificity phosphatase 6 (DUSP6) and MAPK1, thereby controlling the phosphorylation of MAPK1 and promoting ESCC progression. Here, MAPK1 is linked to esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.