Objective: To investigate changes in lymphocyte subsets in tumor-draining lymph nodes( TDLNs) of esophageal cancer patients and in association with tumor progression. Methods: A total of 70 TDLN specimens were collected from esophageal cancer patients who underwent esophagectomy in the Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University. They were categorized as metastatic and non-metastatic based on their metastatic statuses,and as early stage and advanced stage according the TNM staging. Lymphocytes were isolated...