The results showed that the tumor differentiation degree [odds ratio (OR)=1.964, P=0.023], TNM staging (OR=3.206, P<0.001), P53 expression (OR=2.510, P=0.012) and P53/Cox-2 co-expression (OR=2.204, P=0.021) were associated with the local recurrence or distant metastasis of esophageal cancer (Table III). This evidence concerns the gene TP53 and esophageal cancer.