The results showed that TNM staging [hazard ratio (HR)=3.379, P<0.001], P53 expression (HR=2.102, P=0.023) and P53/Cox-2 co-expression (HR=2.212, P=0.009) were all independent factors affecting the OS curves of patients with esophageal cancer. The gene discussed is TP53; the disease is esophageal cancer.