Preface for focused issue on minimally invasive esophageal surgery

Esophageal cancer is one of high morbidity and mortality disease in China. Radical resection is still the dominant method in the early stage esophageal cancer. Esophageal resections have experienced from open to minimally invasive, which reduced the postoperative complications and early rehabilitation has a great significance. Minimally invasive techniques are popular around the world.