〔Abstract〕 Objective To investigate the effects of circulating tumor cells(CTCs) on the survival of different chemoradiotherapy modes for locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma(ESCC). Methods A total of 124 patients with ESCC undergoing CTCs examination were included before concurrent chemoradiotherapy(CRT), and these patients were divided into two groups(i.e., IC +CRT group and CRT group) according to whether they received induction chemotherapy(IC). The effects of CTCs on the survival between the two groups were compared. Results CTCs were related to T, N, stage, recurrence after treatment and distant metastasis. The objective remission rates(ORR) of IC+CRT group and CRT group were 72.6% and 58.1%, respectively(P=0.089). In the CTCs(+) subgroup, the ORR in the IC+CRT group was higher than that in the CRT group(P=0.046), but there was no significant difference between the two groups in the CTCs(-) subgroup(P=0.693). The median survival time(MST) of IC+CRT group and CRT group were 23 months and 15 months, respectively(P= 0.021). In the CTCs(+) subgroup, MST in the IC+CRT group was higher than that in the CRT group(P=0.008), but there was no difference between the two groups in the CTCs(-) subgroup(P=0.286). Cox regression analysis showed that tumor stage and CTCs were risk factors of overall survival(OS), while the mode of chemoradiotherapy was a protective factor for OS. Conclusion CTCs index has an influence on the survival between the two chemoradiotherapy therapies, which may have some reference values for the selection of them.