Abstract: Objective To explore the role of RUNX3 and OPN in pathogenesis,development,invasion,metastasis of esophageal carcinoma and the correlation between the expression of RUNX3 protein and OPN protein.Methods Immunohistochemisty was used to detect the expression of RUNX3 and OPN in normal esophageal tissues,the tissues of atypical hyperplasia of tumor-adjacent and esophageal carcinoma tissues collected from 60 esophageal carcinoma specimens.Results RUNX3 expression density is different in normal esophageal tissues,the tissues of atypical hyperplasia of tumor-adjacent and esophageal carcinoma tissues(78.33%、43.48%、31.67%).Expression of RUNX3 protein is correlated with the infiltrative depth and tumor TNM stage of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma(P＜0.05).OPN expression density is different in normal esophageal tissues,the tissues of atypical hyperplasia of tumor-adjacent and esophageal carcinoma tissues(0%、34.78%、76.67%).Expression of OPN protein is correlated with the infiltrative depth,lymph node metastasis and tumor TNM stage of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma(P＜0.05).Conclusion The detection of the RUNX3 expression combined with OPN expression might have more significant meaning to explore the mechanism of pathogenesis development,invasion and metastasis of esophageal carcinoma and to predict the prognosis of esophageal carcinoma.