Abstract: Recently, the main treatment for esophageal cancer remains curative resection combined with adjuvant chemoradiotherapy. With the application of minimally invasive esophagectomy (MIE) in the surgical treatment in recent years, patients with esophageal cancer who received MIE are proved to have less postoperative complications, better quality of life, and better surgical effect. However, different operation methods of MIE have different advantages and disadvantages, that makes the clinical promotion of MIE need further clinical experience, surgical techniques and procedures. The longterm effect of MIE remains to be further verification.