Esophageal cancer is one of the most prevalent malignant tumors in the world and poses a serious health risk to the public. According to the information published by the World Health Organization, in 2008, the incidence rate of esophageal cancer in mainland China ranked the fifth among all kinds of malignant tumors and the mortality rate ranked the fourth. The surgical treatment of esophageal cancer in China has more than 70 years of history and experience. At present, the surgical treatment technology and effect of esophageal cancer in China are at the international leading level, and the 5-year survival rate of early esophageal cancer can reach 70%-90% after surgical treatment. With the progress of anesthesia, surgical techniques, instruments and perioperative monitoring technology, the incidence of surgical complications and mortality rate are gradually decreasing. At present, the trend of surgical treatment of esophageal cancer in China is expanded, minimally invasive, mechanized, popularized, individualized and integrated surgery. The expansion of indications and the expansion of surgery are manifested by the increase of senior, difficult and complex esophageal cancer surgery, and more and more patients with other diseases are receiving surgical treatment. The use of esophageal anastomosis, occluder, ultrasonic knife and thoracoscope has gradually popularized esophageal cancer surgery to county hospitals and reduced surgical trauma. Due to the further development of preoperative staging technology and improvement of comprehensive clinical treatment measures, the treatment of esophageal cancer is no longer one mode (surgery alone or radiotherapy alone, etc.), one incision (left posterior external incision is the main one) or one way of lymph node dissection (incomplete two-field lymph node dissection via left chest). Individualized treatment can be developed according to the patient’s specific situation, and surgery can generally be considered in accordance with the following conditions 1.No invasion of vital organs, no metastasis or few metastasis in lymph nodes and no metastasis in other organs of the body; 2.No control or recurrence of radiation therapy, no obvious local invasion or distant metastasis signs; 3.A few patients who are in advanced age (>80 years old) but in good health without concomitant diseases can also be considered carefully; 4.No serious dysfunction of vital organs such as heart, brain, liver, lung and kidney, no serious concomitant diseases. Those who are physically able to tolerate open-heart surgery.