Objective: To determine the effect of early enteral nutrition (EN) on liver function in patients following esophageal cancer surgery. Methods: Totally 120 patients who underwent the same elective operation for thoracic esophageal carcinoma were prospectively randomized into early EN group, in which patients received nasoduodenal infusion with Nutrison from the 1st postoperative day and parenteral nutrition (PN) group. The nutritional goal was 105 ∼ 126 kJ/(kg·d). Both groups received isocaloric and isonitrogenous nutritional formulas on the same postoperative day. Several blood chemistries were measured preoperatively and on the 3rd and 8th postoperative day. Results: There was no significant difference in Alb between these two groups. On the 8th postoperative day, serum prealbumin and transferrin levels in the EN group were significant higher than those in the PN group. The serum levels of total bilirubin, direct bilirubin, and indirect bilirubin were significantly attenuated in the EN group after operation. Activities of ALT and AST in sera were significantly higher in the PN group after operation. Conclusion: Early EN may improve hepatic protein synthesis, attenuate the impairment of hepatic function after operation, and facilitate bilirubin metabolism.