Publication Name	World Journal of Gastroenterology
Manuscript ID	116615
Country	China

Category	Genetics & Heredity
Manuscript Type	Letter to the Editor
Article Title	Not one disease: Ethnic-specific mutational pathways redefine precision oncology in esophageal cancer
Manuscript Source	Invited Manuscript
All Author List	Rui-Jie Ming and Hua-Wen Liu
Funding Agency and Grant Number
Corresponding Author	Hua-Wen Liu, MD, Professor, Department of Oncology, Chongqing University Three Gorges Hospital, No. 165 Xincheng Road, Chongqing 404010, China. liuhuawen@cqu.edu.cn
Key Words	Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma; Ethnic genomics; Mutational signatures; Precision oncology; Tumor mutational burden; Health equity
Core Tip	This letter highlights that esophageal squamous cell carcinoma is not a single entity but comprises ethnically distinct molecular subtypes. While Han patients exhibit the apolipoprotein B messenger RNA-editing enzyme catalytic polypeptide-related signatures, Kazakh patients show defective mismatch repair. We emphasize a critical paradox: Despite worse historical survival, Kazakh tumors display high tumor mutational burden, suggesting potential sensitivity to immunotherapy. These findings urge the integration of ethnic genomics into clinical trial design to transform therapeutic strategies for underrepresented populations.
Citation	Ming RJ, Liu HW. Not one disease: Ethnic-specific mutational pathways redefine precision oncology in esophageal cancer. World J Gastroenterol 2026; In press

Received	2025-11-17 02:49
Peer-Review Started	2025-11-17 02:49
First Decision by Editorial Office Director	2025-12-31 09:43
Return for Revision	2025-12-31 09:43
Revised	2026-01-07 04:49
Publication Fee Transferred
Second Decision by Editor	2026-02-04 02:52
Second Decision by Editor-in-Chief
Final Decision by Editorial Office Director	2026-02-04 08:44
Articles in Press	2026-02-04 08:44
Edit the Manuscript by Language Editor
Typeset the Manuscript

ISSN	1007-9327 (print) and 2219-2840 (online)
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