Interestingly, we found that EDHB treatment not only led to apoptosis but also autophagic cell death via the up-regulation of BCL-2/EIB-19K-interacting protein 3 (BNIP3) and Beclin and the down-regulation of BCL-2 in the esophageal cancer KYSE 170 cells. This evidence concerns the gene BNIP3 and esophageal cancer.