Using polymerase chain reaction, we analysed 41 samples of esophageal squamous cell cancer at molecular level. Amplification of c-myc gene was found in 16 (39%). C-myc gene amplification was found to be related to lymph node metastasis, TNM staging (P < 0.01) and also prognosis (P < 0.05). We thought that c-myc gene was the prognosis factor for the patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.