The results showed that ESCC patients with PD-L1 ≥ 10% (HR = 0.62, 95% CI: 0.51-0.75) and those with PD-L1 < 10% (HR = 0.80, 95% CI: 0.71-0.91) experienced significantly longer OS with PD-1 inhibitors compared to standard chemotherapy. Here, PDCD1 is linked to esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.