In addition, we further demonstrate that PHF14 promotes LAD progression and metastasis through enhancing TGF-β signaling and illustrate that not only the SMAD7 DNA methylation level in LAD tissues, but also that in circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) of liquid biopsies correlate with poor prognosis of LAD patients. The gene discussed is TGFB1; the disease is leukocyte adhesion deficiency.