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Abstract Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is significantly influenced by T cells, which are pivotal effector cells in the immune system, playing a critical role in both antitumor immunity and the formation of the tumor microenvironment. In this study, we integrated single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) and bulk RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) data to explore the characteristics of T cells in ESCC and developed a prognostic model utilizing four T cell-related genes to predict patient prognosis. Furthermore, we evaluated discrepancies among different risk subgroups in terms of clinicopathological staging, the immune microenvironment, immune checkpoints, and responses to immunotherapy. We also verified the expression levels of these risk-associated genes in ESCC tissues using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Analysis and experimental validation indicated that these risk genes are closely linked to the occurrence and progression of ESCC and its immune microenvironment, potentially offering new therapeutic targets for cancer treatment.
Xing et al. (Mon,) studied this question.