Objective To explore the clinical value of IPCL patterns for the diagnosis and treatment of esophageal superficial lesions.Methods Data of 249 esophageal superficial lesions obtained from Digestive Disease Center of Northern Yokohama Hospital were retrospectively analyzed.All specimens were classified based on Haruhiro Inoue IPCL classification,while pathological analysis was performed according to the esophageal cancer classification of Japanese Esophageal Society.The relationship between the IPCL type and pathology was investigated.Results Of all the 249 lesions,22 lesions were identified as IPCL type Ⅲwhich included 16 cases esophagitis and 6 low-grade intraepithelial neoplasm (LGIN).Twenty-nine lesions were IPCL type Ⅳ,including 11 esophagitis,4 LGIN,10 m1 cancer,and 4 m2.Seventy-one lesions were IPCL type Ⅴ1,including 54 m1 cases,8 m2 and 4 m3.Forty-eight lesions were IPCL type Ⅴ2,including 8 m1,34 m2 and 4 m3.Forty-five lesions were IPCLA type Ⅴ3,including 4 m1,19 m2,15 m3 and 4 sm1.Twenty-two lesions were IPCL type Ⅴ3B,including 5 m2,5 m3,3 sm1 and 9 cases that tumor invaded into sm2 or deeper.Twelve lesions were IPCL type Ⅴ N,including 2 sm1 cases and 9 cases that tumor invaded into sm2 or deeper.Conclusion The Haruhiro Inoue IPCL classification is useful for diagnosis and treatment of esophageal superficial lesions.IPCL type Ⅴ1,Ⅴ 2 or Ⅴ 3A indicate early esophageal cancer or esophageal cancer that invades m1-sm1,and EMR or ESD can be performed.IPCL Ⅴ N type often means tumor invades sm2 or deeper.Confronting esophageal superficial lesions of IPCL Ⅲ,Ⅳ of Ⅴ3B type,physicians should also consider the diagnosis with clinical features,biopsy and endoscopic ultrasound.