The positivity rates for VE-cadherin expression in the normal esophageal mucosa, esophageal squamous epithelial dysplasia or SCC in situ, and ESCC samples were 3.3% (2/60), 16.7% (10/60), and 51.9% (109/210), respectively, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). Here, CDH5 is linked to esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.