Background:　Fascin,　an　actin-binding　protein,　is　usually　expressed　at　a　low　level　in　normal　epithelium,　but　is　markedly　up　regulated　in　several　types　of　carcinomas.　Reports　on　fascin　expression　in　oesophageal　squamous　cell　carcinoma　(ESCC)　and　precancerous　lesions　remain　rare.　Aim:　To　show　the　roles　of　fascin　in　the　progression　from　normal　epithelium　to　invasive　ESCC.　Methods:　Fascin　expression　in　102　sections　embedded　in　paraffin　wax,　including　samples　of　normal　mucosa　(n　=　20),　dysplasia　(n　=　10),　ESCC　(n　=　62)　and　special　sections　(n　=　10)　of　a　full-length　mucosa　layer　from　the　distant　margin　to　the　cancer　focus　of　the　excised　oesophagus,　and　49　fresh　specimens　of　ESCC　was　analysed　by　immunohistochemistry,　western　blot　and　real-time　reverse　transcription-polymerase　chain　reaction.　Fascin　expression　in　ESCC　cell　lines　was　also　investigated.　Results:　In　the　immunohistochemical　study,　the　positive　rate　of　fascin　was　significantly　higher　in　the　tumour　tissue　than　in　the　normal　epithelium　(p　=　0.020),　but　no　significant　difference　was　shown　between　ESCC　and　dysplasia　(p　=　1.000).　Immunostaining　for　fascin　was　only　apparent　in　the　basal　layer　of　the　normal　epithelium.　However,　in　the　dysplasia,　positive　staining　was　observed　in　most　of　the　heterogeneous　cells　from　the　basal　layer　to　the　granular　layer　of　the　epithelium.　Fascin　expression　was　seen　to　increase　progressively　from　the　normal　epithelium　to　invasive　ESCC.　Up　regulation　of　fascin　was　observed　in　87.76%　(43/49)　and　77.55%　(38/49)　of　the　specimens,　respectively,　using　western　blot　and　real-time　reverse　transcription-polymerase　chain　reaction　assays;　80%　(4/5)　of　ESCC　cell　lines　also　expressed　fascin　at　a　high　level.　Furthermore,　overexpression　of　fascin　was　markedly　correlated　with　cell　proliferation　and　lymph　node　metastasis.　Conclusions:　These　findings　suggested　that　fascin　was　associated　with　the　transformation　and　development　of　ESCC　and　implicated　the　potential　of　fascin　as　a　novel　biomarker　that　would　allow　the　tumour　to　be　identified　at　an　early　stage　in　high-risk　individuals.