BackgroundUbiquitin specific peptidase 14 (USP14), a deubiquitinating enzyme, has been documented as a key element to regulate the proteolysis function of proteasomes and an attractive therapeutic target for several cancers. Herein, we elucidate the role of USP14 in predicting the prognosis of patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Methods USP14 expression was detected in ESCC tissues and matched adjacent non-tumorous tissues by quantitative real-time reverse transcription-PCR and immunohistochemistry. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used to assess the correlation between USP14 expression and prognosis in ESCC patients. Univariate and multivariate analysis was conducted with a Cox proportional hazards model to determine whether USP14 is an independent prognostic factor. ResultOverexpression of USP14 was observed in approximately 60% of tested ESCC samples compared to their paired non-tumor esophageal tissues at both RNA and protein levels, and was significantly associated with distant metastasis (P=0.001). Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that USP14 overexpression was related to poorer overall patient survival. Univariate and multivariate analyses demonstrated that USP14 was an independent risk factor for overall survival. ConclusionThe findings in this study suggest that USP14 could be used as a potential prognostic marker for ESCC patients.