Clinically, esophageal cancer is often categorized into the following types according to its early symptoms and mid-term symptoms. I. Early esophageal cancer (carcinoma in situ and early invasive carcinoma) is often divided into four types. (1) Concealed type: accounting for 7.3%~11.8%, with mild local congestion of the lesion mucosa and in situ cancer under the microscope. (2) Vesicular type: accounting for 33%~51.2%, the lesion mucosa is mildly vesicular and congested with irregular morphology, and mixed with normal pinkish-white mucosa like a map, and the microscopic carcinoma in situ and early invasive carcinoma each accounts for half. (3) Plaque type: accounting for 24.4%~51.3%, the mucosa at the lesion is slightly elevated in the form of plaque, swollen and thickened, the surface is rough and uneven, and the folds of the mucosa are thickened or interrupted, histological in situ carcinoma accounts for 1/3, and early invasive carcinoma accounts for 2/3. (4) Papillae: accounting for 8%~12.6%, the lesion is like a papilla or a polyp, which protrudes to the lumen, and the mucous membrane on the surface is mostly smooth with occasional mild vesiculitis, and microscopically, it is largely early invasive carcinoma. Early invasive carcinoma. Second, middle and late esophageal cancer is often divided into five types. (1) Medullary type: accounting for 56.8%, the cancer volume is large, the wall of the affected section of esophagus is asymmetrically thickened, involving most or all of the circumference of the esophagus, and the upper and lower parts of the cancer are slope-like elevated, often accompanied by ulcers, and the cancerous tissues of this type of carcinoma tissue are directed into the lumen. (2) Mushroom umbrella: accounting for 18.5%, the cancerous tissues are like mushrooms protruding into the lumen, and the border of the cancerous tissues is clear and elevated with a large and shallow ulcer, which tends to involve one side of esophagus wall, with fewer external invasions. It tends to involve one side of the esophageal wall, with less external invasion. (3) Ulcerative type: accounting for 13.3%, the cancer tissue is thinner and involves part of the esophageal circumference, manifesting as deeper ulcers, and the obstruction of the esophageal lumen is lighter, but perforation is easy to occur. (4) Narrowing type: accounting for 8.5%, the lesion is a short annular narrowing, usually involving the whole circumference, with surface erosion, mostly without ulceration, and the length is mostly not more than 5cm, and the upper part of the narrowing is highly dilated. (5) Intraluminal type: accounting for 3%, the tumor is a huge mass, often round or oval, convex to the esophageal lumen, with the tip of varying thickness connected with the esophageal wall, most of the tumors have irregular shallow erosion on the surface, the tumor only invades a part of the circumference of the esophagus, with less external invasion, and the symptom of dysphagia is not often serious. Surgical treatment of esophageal cancer. (1) There are three main surgical methods for early esophageal cancer: endoscopic focal resection of esophageal lesions, which is less painful and quicker recovery. However, the recurrence rate is high. Another method is thoracoscopic-assisted resection of esophageal lesions, which is less traumatic and less painful. One more method is traditional open thoracotomy, which is more traumatic. Early esophageal cancer surgery has good effect and high long-term survival rate. The specific method to be adopted should take into account the patient’s condition and doctor’s technical level. (2) Surgical methods for middle and late stage esophageal cancer mainly include: left thoracic incision, right thoracic-abdominal two-incision, and cervicothoracic-abdominal three-incision. Long-term survival rate depends on the pathological type of tumor, intraoperative lymphatic system clearance, and postoperative comprehensive treatment.