In contrast, downregulated gene signatures in baseline ESCC tumors of patients with better NAT-associated pathological response were primarily involved in the immune response-activating cell surface receptor signaling pathway (such as IGHG4, IGHA1, C3AR1, FCER1G, TYROBP, AAPL1, and LPXN) (Fig. 3E; Additional file 1: Fig. S3G). Here, LPXN is linked to esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.