ABSTRACT
Esophageal cancer is a common malignant tumor of the digestive system in China. Currently, surgical resection is the main treatment for localized and resectable esophageal cancer. Minimally invasive treatment of esophageal cancer has the advantages of small trauma, neat incision, less pain, quick postoperative recovery, low postoperative complication incidence and mortality, and the treatment effect is comparable to traditional open surgery. Therefore, minimally invasive surgery for esophageal cancer has gradually become the mainstream choice for esophageal surgery. Various minimally invasive treatment approaches for esophageal cancer have correspon-dingly different indications, advantages and disadvantages. With the continuous development of minimally invasive technology, the shortcomings of various minimally invasive surgical approaches have been continuously overcome, which has brought about the diversification of minimally invasive treatment options. The authors comb the latest research progress at home and abroad, discuss and summarize the current application of minimally invasive techniques in esophageal surgery, hoping to provide references for the clinical minimally invasive treatment of esophageal cancer.