Abstract: Objective : To evaluate the significance of the adjuvant radiotherapy following esophagectomy, especially focusing on the survival, local recurrence and metastasis. Methods : 185 patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma were randomized into surgery plus radiation group (S+R: 92 cases) and sole surgery group (SS: 93 cases) in this prospective study. The dose of radiation was 50~60Gy. Results : There were no differences in overall survival rate, recurrence and metastasis (P>0.05). The rate of complication in S+R group was higher than that in SS group (P<0.05). Compared with surgery only, the recurrent rate in palliative resection group with radiation was lower(P<0.05). Conclusion : Radiation on mediastinum and bilateral superclavical region can effectively control the local recurrence for patient with residual tumor but has not preventive effect for patients with radical resection.