目的　探讨胸部食管癌转移淋巴结的个数与预后的关系。方法　采用颈、胸、腹三切口施行胸部食管癌手术 112例 ,同时施行三区域淋巴结清扫。选择 9个可能对食管癌切除术后预后产生影响的特征性临床因素 ,通过Cox比例风险模型 ,利用累计生存率对食管癌切除术后患者进行预后多因素分析。结果　本组总 5年生存率为 5 8.4% ,其中无淋巴结转移组 (A组 )为 88 4%、转移淋巴结1～ 3枚组 (B组 )为 5 0 8% ,转移≥ 4枚组 (C组 )为 2 0 8%。影响预后的主要因素是淋巴结转移、肿瘤侵及深度、肿瘤分化程度和肿瘤的部位 (P <0 .0 5 ) ,且转移淋巴结数与肿瘤的浸润程度、分化程度、转移的区域以及生存率等密切相关 (P <0 .0 0 1)。结论　胸部食管癌三区域淋巴结清除术可有效地提高淋巴结转移阴性和较少转移患者的生存率 Objective To investigate the relationship between the number of metastatic lymph nodes and prognosis in chest esophageal cancer. Methods A total of 112 cases of chest esophageal cancer were performed using three incisions of the neck, thorax, and abdomen, and tri-regional lymph node dissection was performed. We selected nine clinical factors that may have an impact on the prognosis of esophageal cancer resection. Through the Cox proportional hazards model, the cumulative survival rate was used to perform multivariate analysis of prognosis after esophageal cancer resection. Results The overall 5-year survival rate in this group was 58.4%. Among them, 88.4% were in the group with no lymph node metastasis (group A), 50% were in the group with metastatic lymph nodes 1 to 3 (group B), and ≥ 4 groups were transferred ( Group C) is 2 0 8%. The main factors affecting the prognosis were lymph node metastasis, tumor invasion depth, tumor differentiation and tumor site (P < 0.05), and the number of metastatic lymph nodes and tumor invasion, differentiation, metastasis area, and survival rate, etc. Closely related (P <0. 0 0 1). Conclusion Three-region lymphadenectomy for chest esophageal cancer can effectively improve the survival rate of patients with negative lymph node metastasis and less metastasis