CST1 and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: The results of the analysis revealed that serum CST1 (Hazard Ratio (HR) = 2.023; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.099-3.725; p = 0.024) and TNM stage (HR = 1.722; 95% CI = 1.184 – 2.505; p = 0.004) independently predict the overall survival (OS) of patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).