We performed combined chemotherapy using docetaxel and nedaplatin with and without radiation therapy as a second-line treatment for relapsed or metastatic esophageal carcinoma. Eighteen patients were enrolled from April 2003 to June 2010; 10 cases were metastatic and 8 cases were recurrent. Nedaplatin (30 mg/m(2)) and Docetaxel (30 mg/m(2)/day) were administered on days 1, 8 and 15. Nine cases undertook the combined-chemotherapy only, with a response rate of 22.2% (2/9). The other nine cases received combined chemo-radiotherapy, with a response rate of 55.5% (5/9). The median survival time of all patients was 273 days, the median survival time for patients treated with combined chemotherapy was 331 days, while for patients treated with combined chemoradiotherapy was 244 days. The two-year survival rate overall was 11.1% (1/9). The adverse event of leukocytopenia greater than grade 3 was observed in three cases of combined chemoradiotherapy cases only. Docetaxel and Nedaplatin combination chemotherapy is well tolerated and useful as second-line chemotherapy for patients with relapsed or metastatic esophageal cancer.