Subsequently, age, sex, TNM stage, smoking, and CCL4 or MIF expression were included in a multivariate Cox regression model, and the results showed that patients with ESCC with elevated CCL4 and MIF expression exhibited preferable PFS and OS outcomes (P = 0.028, 0.048, 0.017, 0.026, Figure 3a-d, respectively). The gene discussed is CCL4; the disease is esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.