Abstract: Objective: To explore the relationship between VEGF-C expression in esophageal cancer and lymph node metastasis.Methods:Paraffin-embeded samples of esophageal cancer in our hospital during January 2000and June2009 and the corresponding clinical data were collected. Immunohistochemical SP method was employed to detect VEGF-C expression. The relationship between VEGF-C expression and lymph node metastasis of esophageal cancer was analyzed. Results: The positive rate of VEGF-C expression in122 tissue samples of esophageal cancer was 61.48% (75/122 ). Among them, the positive rate of VEGF-C expression was 46.81% (22/47) in squamous cell carcinoma, 63.41% (26/41) in adenocarcinoma，and 79.41% (27/34) in small cell carcinoma, with a significant difference (P<0.05). The positive rate of VEGF-C expression was 74.29% (52/70) in cases with lymph node metastasis and 44.23% (23/52) in those without lymph node metastasis, with a significant difference ( χ2=11.38, P=0.0007). The positive rate of VEGF-C in stage Ⅲ esophageal cancer was 76% (38/50), higher than that in stage Ⅰand Ⅱesophageal cancer [51.39% (37/72)]. There was no significant correlation between VEGF-C and age, sex, or depth of invasion. The odds ratio of lymph node metastasis of patients with positive expression of VEGF-C was 2.87and the 95% confidence interval was1.69to 6.44( χ2=4.44, P=0.0104). The odds ratio of lymph node metastasis of squamous cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma and small cell carcinoma was 1.66and the 95% confidence interval was 0.98to 2.83( χ2=3.53, P=0.06). The odds ratio of lymph node metastasis of esophageal cancer with invasion to the adventitia or muscular layer was 2.20and the 95% confidence interval was 0.96to 5.10( χ2=3.45, P=0.06). Conclusion:Esophageal cancer with positive expression of VEGF-C has higher potential of lymph node metastasis. Detection of VEGF-C is helpful for evaluating lymph node metastasis of esophageal cancer.