Our findings revealed that in the TCGA-ESCC dataset, nine out of the 12 CRGs (ATP7B, DLAT, FDX1, GLS, LIAS, MTF1, PDHA1, PDHB, SLC31A1) showed highly statistically significant differences (P < 0.001) between the ESCC and normal groups, except for CDKN2A, DLD, and LIPT1 genes (P > 0.05) (Figure 1A). This evidence concerns the gene MTF1 and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.