The combined treatment for esophageal carcinoma evoked increasing attention in clinic. The combination of radiotherapy, chemotherapy and operation is the tendency of combined treatment for esophageal carcinoma. The rational and efficient combined treatment has made more satisfied curative effect than single treatment, which improved the patients' long-term survival rate. Using new chemotherapeutic agents, exploring neoadjuvant chemotherapy, and renewing knowledge of adjuvant chemotherapy are important developments on medical treatment for esophageal carcinoma. This review discussed the progress of medical and combined treatment for esophageal carcinoma from the aspects of curative effect, survival rate, adverse events, and so on.