To our surprise, SNHG16 expression was high in 19 and low in 11 of 30 ESD samples (Fig. 1D), and its expression was correlated with tumour differentiation (P = 0.037) and T stage (P = 0.098), suggesting that SNHG16 upregulation was an early event in ESCC development. This evidence concerns the gene SNHG16 and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.