In addition, when we added 1 μM ferroptosis inhibitor Fer-1 to CDK7, YAP or LDHD-depleted and their control KYSE410 cells, the spheroid-forming potential of these ESCC cells was restored (Supplementary Fig. 9f, g), suggesting that CDK7-YAP-LDHD axis could regulate ESCC cells’ stemness-associated properties by balancing D-lactate oxidation and ferroptosis occurrence. Here, CDK7 is linked to esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.