Objective       To determine the expression and prognostic value of Zn-alpha2-glycoprotein (AZGP1) in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).       Methods       A total of 112 ESCC patients who admitted in the department of thoracic surgery of our hospital from January 2008 to June 2010 were enrolled in this study

and they were all followed up till April 2014. The expression of AZGP1 in their samples of ESCC and 25 adjacent normal esophageal mucosa were detected by immunohistochemistry. Correlations of the expression of AZGP1 in the ESCC with their clinical features and prognosis were analyzed with statistical program SPSS 17.0.       Results       The high expression of AZGP1 protein was significantly lower in the ESCC tissues than the adjacent normal esophageal mucosa (47.3% vs 76.0%

Chi square=6.741

P=0.008). The high expression was found in the tumors of high and moderate differentiation (60.9%)

of T1-3 stage (61.7%) and clinical stages Ⅰ+Ⅱ (58.3%) (all P0.05). Univariate survival analysis suggested that progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survivaL (OS) were better in the patients with high AZGP1 protein than those with lower (P0.05).       Conclusion       High AZGP1 protein expression may have some inhibitory effect on ESCC

and its the expression level may predict the prognosis of ESCC patients.