Abstract: Objective To determine the effects of different anesthetic techniques on T-lymphocyte subsets in patients with esophageal carcinoma. Methods Forty patients were randomly assigned into general anesthesia group (group Ⅰ),or combined generae anesthesia with epidural anesthesia group(group Ⅱ). Peripheral blood CD3, CD4,CD8 were measured before induction ( T1 ), after anesthesia ( T2 ), end of operation ( T3 ), 1d ( T4 ), 3d ( T5 ) after surgery. Resolts CD3,CD4,CD8,CD4/CD8 decreased at T2 in the two groups. In group Ⅱ ,CD3,CD4,CD8,CD4/CD8 ratio almost returned to the baseline values at T4 ,while group Ⅰ did not. Conclusion Epidural anesthesia combined with general anesthesia can reduce depression of T-lymphocyte subsets induced by surgical trauma and anesthesia, and is the anesthetic tecnique of choice for cancer patients undergoing major operation.