Fig. 3

The 7-lncRNA signature improves survival prediction of TNM staging system in ESCC patients. The ESCC patients were defined as low-, moderate- and high-risk by the combination model of 7-lncRNA signature and TNM staging system, and then the survivals of these patients were analyzed with Kaplan–Meier curves and compared with the survivals predicted by TNM staging system. a Overall survival (OS) of patients with TNM stage II or III in the training cohort; b OS of patients with low-, moderate- or high-risk score in the training cohort. c OS of patients with TNM stage II or III in the independent cohort; d OS of patients with low-, moderate- or high-risk score in the independent cohort; e OS of patients with TNM stage II or III in the combination of two cohorts. f OS of patients with low-, moderate- or high-risk score in combination of two cohorts. In the Kaplan–Meier survival curves, the survival time unit is months