Esophageal　carcinoma　(EC)　is　the　sixth　most　deadly　of　all　cancers.　It　is　among　the　most　malignant　cancers　due　to　its　highly　aggressive　nature　and　low　survival　rate.　The　incidence　of　EC　is　high　in　Asia,　particularly　in　Southern　areas　including　China,　Iran　and　Japan.　There　is　a　large　body　of　evidence　to　suggest　an　association　between　the　melanoma　antigen　gene　(MAGE)　family　and　the　initiation　of　cancer;　however,　there　is　no　clear　evidence　to　suggest　an　association　between　EC　and　MAGE.　Discovery　of　the　chemical　and　physiological　processes　relevant　to　the　occurrence　of　EC　is　vital　for　clinicians　to　diagnose　and　treat　this　highly　aggressive　cancer.　The　present　study　focused　on　the　association　of　EC　with　the　expression　of　MAGE　family　member　A6　(MAGEA6)　at　the　mRNA　and　protein　levels　using　gene　chip,　reverse　transcription-quantitative　polymerase　chain　reaction　(RT-qPCR)　and　immunohistochemistry.　The　expression　of　MAGEA6　in　human　esophageal　squamous　cell　carcinoma　(ESCC)　and　esophageal　adenocarcinoma　(EAC)　tissue　samples　were　compared　with　those　in　paracancerous　tissue.　The　result　of　the　gene　chip　assay　revealed　that　as　the　generation　grew,　there　was　a　significant　increase　in　MAGEA6　transcription　in　the　esophageal　epithelial　cell　line,　SHEE　Different　ESC　cell　lines　also　exhibited　a　significantly　higher　transcription　of　MAGEA6　compared　with　the　HaCaT　cell　line,　as　determined　via　reverse　transcription-quantitative　PCR.　An　higher　positive　rate　of　MAGEA6　expression　in　ESCC　and　EAC　tissues　was　also　revealed　when　compared　with　paracancerous　tissues,　as　determined　via　immunohistochemistry.　The　results　indicated　that　MAGEA6　is　highly　transcribed　and　expressed　in　the　development　of　EC　and　may　therefore　serve　as　a　novel　biomarker　for　the　diagnosis　or　treatment　of　EC.