The present invention relates to the field of cancer. More specifically, the present invention provides compositions
and methods useful for detecting and treating esophageal cancer. In a specific embodiment, a method for identifying a subject having esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) comprises (a) extracting genomic DNA from a sample obtained from the subject; (b)
performing a conversion reaction on the genomic DNA in vitro to convert unmethylated cytosine to uracil by deamination; and (c)
detecting nucleic acid methylation of one or more genes in the converted genomic DNA, wherein detecting nucleic acid methylation e identifies the subject as having ESCC. The one or more genes can comprise ZNF542, ZNF132, cg20655070, TAC1 and SLC35F1. In a
more specific embodiment, the one or more genes comprise ZNF542 and ZNF132 and can further comprise detecting the nucleic acid N methylation of one or more of cg20655070, TAC1 and SLC35F1.