BCL2L1 and cancer: Previously, RBM4 was reported to inhibit cancer progression of multiple types of human cancers, including lung, breast, gastric, colorectal, and hepatocellular cancer.39,41,42,46,47 For example, RBM4 regulates the splicing of Bcl-x and TEAD4 to suppress lung cancer progression39,40; SRPK1-RBM4 network contributes to tumorigenesis via altered sensitivity to apoptotic signals in breast cancer cells.42 However, the role of RBM4 in ESCC has not been characterized yet.