The new segmental criteria for esophageal cancer were reformulated in the 7th edition of the AJCC/UICC 2009 TNM staging criteria for esophageal cancer. It is determined by the location of the esophagus where the upper edge of the tumor is located, and the specific location is indicated by the distance from the upper incisor to the upper edge of the tumor: (1) Cervical segment esophagus: up to the hypopharynx, down to the entrance of the thorax in the plane of the sternotomy, adjacent to the trachea in front, adjacent to the cervical vascular sheath on both sides, and behind the cervical vertebrae, 15 cm to <20 cm from the incisors on endoscopy. (2) Upper thoracic esophagus: up from the entrance of the thorax, down to the level of the lower edge of the odd vein arch, which is surrounded by the trachea, aortic arch and branches and large veins anteriorly, and the thoracic vertebrae behind. Endoscopy is 20 cm to <25 cm from the incisors. (3) Mid-thoracic esophagus: above from the lower edge of the odd vein arch, below to the level of the inferior pulmonary vein, anteriorly by the structure between the two pulmonary hilum, left adjacent to the thoracic descending aorta, right by the pleura, and posteriorly by the thoracic vertebrae. Endoscopy is 25 cm to <30 cm from the incisors. (4) Lower thoracic esophagus and esophagogastric junction: up from the level of the inferior pulmonary vein and down to finally the stomach, which includes the Esophagogastric Junction (EGJ) as this is the end of the esophagus. It is adjacent to the pericardium anteriorly, the spine posteriorly, the descending thoracic aorta on the left, and the pleura on the right. This segment of the esophagus crosses the diaphragm and travels in the abdominal cavity for varying distances. In some cases such as a hiatal hernia, the ventral segment of the esophagus can disappear, so the ventral segment of the esophagus is included in the lower thoracic segment of the esophagus. (5) Esophagogastric junction carcinoma and cardia carcinoma: the distal esophagus 5 cm above EGJ and the proximal stomach 5 cm below EGJ is a site full of controversy. The new TNM staging harmonizes the TNM staging of esophageal cancer with that of gastric cancer, and clearly stipulates that any tumor centered in 1) lower esophagus; 2) EGJ; 3) 5 cm proximal to the stomach but has already invaded the lower esophagus or EGJ, all are staged according to TNM of esophageal adenocarcinoma; 4) adenocarcinoma occurring within 5 cm proximal to the stomach without invading EGJ can be called pancreatic cancer, together with tumors occurring in other parts of the stomach. (4) Adenocarcinoma occurring within 5 cm of the proximal part of the stomach without invading the EGJ can be called pancreatic cancer.