Abstract: The expression of cyclin dependent kinase 16 (CDK16) was detected in tumor tissue microarray of various types of esophageal carcinoma (squamous cell carcinoma, basal cell-like cell carcinoma, spindle cell squamous cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma, adeno-squamous cell carcinoma and undifferentiated carcinoma) by immunohistochemistry (IHC). The results showed that the expression of CDK16 in esophageal carcinoma has histological specificity. The expression of CDK16 in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma was strongly positive and was negatively correlated with the degree of tumor differentiation. The positive intensity of CDK16 expression in the nucleus showed a decreasing trend with the malignant degree of the tumor, and the positive intensity of CDK16 expression in the cytoplasm showed a increasing trend with the malignant degree of the tumor. In addition, CDK16 was mainly expressed in the nucleus in the lymph nodes, and the expression of CDK16 in lymph nodes was positively correlated with the clinical stage of the tumor. These findings suggest that the expression of CDK16 was closely related to the histological types of esophageal cancer. The high expression of CDK16 in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma is closely related with the occurrence and development of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.