The 10-gene panel, comprising <i>CCND1</i>, <i>ECT2</i>, <i>EpCAM</i>, <i>FSCN1</i>, <i>KRT5</i>, <i>KRT18</i>, <i>MET</i>, <i>TFRC</i>, <i>TWIST1</i>, and <i>VEGFC</i>, was established for characterizing CTCs from mouse ESCC xenograft models and clinical ESCC peripheral blood (PB) samples. The gene discussed is CCND1; the disease is esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.