Objective:To explore the risk factors and protective factors for esophageal cancer, and provide strategies for prevention, clinical treatment and later-stage intervention.Methods:A total of 150 patients with pathologically confirmed esophageal cancer admitted to Nanjing Liuhe District People′s Hospital from July 2020 to February 2023 were selected as the observation group, and 150 non-tumor patients hospitalized in the department of orthopedics during the same period were selected as the control group. A questionnaire survey was conducted to analyze the independent risk factors and independent protective factors for esophageal cancer.Results:Univariate Logistic regression analysis showed that smoking, alcohol consumption, drinking hot tea (hot drinking >65 ℃), eating hard food, frequency of consuming pickled food, frequency of consuming fruits, frequency of consuming vegetables, frequency of getting angry, economic income and frequency of consuming bread were factors affecting the incidence of esophageal cancer ( P<0.05). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that smoking, consuming fruits ≤3 times per week, previously drinking alcohol but currently not drinking, and not eating hard food were factors affecting the incidence of esophageal cancer ( P<0.05). Conclusions:Smoking and consuming fruits ≤3 times per week are independent risk factors for esophageal cancer, while previously drinking alcohol but currently not drinking and not eating hard food are independent protective factors for esophageal cancer.