FOXP4 (forkhead box P4) is a transcriptional repressor belonging to the FOX gene family that plays critical roles in cancer development and disease susceptibility 1. As a DNA-binding transcription factor, FOXP4 functions primarily as a transcriptional repressor with established roles in lung physiology and pathology 2. The protein demonstrates oncogenic properties across multiple cancer types, where it promotes cancer cell stemness and metastasis through downstream targets like SOX12 in gastric cancer 3. FOXP4 expression is regulated by the Hippo-YAP1 pathway and contributes to tumorigenesis by maintaining cancer stem cell characteristics 3. In colorectal cancer, FOXP4 facilitates radioresistance by transcriptionally activating GPX4 to regulate ferroptosis 4. The gene shows significant clinical relevance, with genetic variants like rs4714476 associated with prostate cancer susceptibility in Chinese populations 5. Additionally, an enhancer variant (rs10223516) modulates esophageal cancer risk through gene-alcohol interactions, particularly in chr6 alcohol consumers 6. FOXP4 has emerged as both a prognostic biomarker and potential therapeutic target, with small molecule inhibitors showing promise in suppressing tumor growth and enhancing chemotherapy efficacy 3. Recent genome-wide association studies have also identified FOXP4 associations with long COVID, independent of severe COVID-19 associations 2.