Fifty postoperative patients who suf- fered esophageal carcinoma were divided randomly into two groups.They received either enteral nutrition(Group EN,n=2 7) or parenteral nutrilion(Group PN,n=2 3) . The provisions of calorie and nitrogen were equal in the two groups.Nutrition support was started on the first postoperative day and continued for8days.The weight plas- ma proteins,immunological parameters and nitrogen balance were evaluated.The re- sults showed that there was no significant difference in body weight and serum albu- min level between the two groups.The pos- itive nitrogen balance were reached in both groups on the8th day.The CD4+percents age,the ratio of CD4+/ CD8+and NK cell activity were elevated,The conclusion is that the values of both EN and PN are sati- factory.In contrast with PN,EN has the advantages of physiological concordance and low cost.