Objective To evaluate the therapeutic effect of esophageal intraluminal stents with ^125I seeds based on survival time and quality of life （QOL） of patients with advanced esophageal cancer. Methods A total of 37 patients with advanced esophageal cancer who underwent placement of esophageal ^125I irradiation stent were followed up. The QOL was evaluated by QLQ-C30 and QLQ-OES18 questionnaires before the procedure, and I week and 3 months after. Results The mean survival time of 37 patients was 28 weeks, with 3-month and 6-month survival rates at 94. 6% （35/37） and 51.4% （19/37）, respectively. Compared with the baseline, the scores of emotional functioning （EF） , cognitive functioning （CF） , global quality of life（QL）, fatigue（ FA）, pain（ PA）, financial difficulties（FI） and pain of QLQ-OES18 （OESPA） assessed 1 week after stent placement increased （ P 〈 0. 05 ） significantly and dysphapia of QLQ-OES18 （ OESDYS）, eating of QLQ-OES18 （ OESEAT）, trouble swallowing saliva of QLQ-OES18 （ OESSV ） and choked when swallowing of QLQ-OES18 （OESCH） decreased significantly （ P 〈 0. 05 ）. At 3 months after stent placement, the scores of FI increased significantly （ P 〈 0. 05 ） , and those of nausea or vomiting （NV） , OESDYS, OESEAT, OESSV and OESCH decreased significantly （ P 〈 0.05 ）. The scores of FI,OESDYS, OESCH, role functioning（RF）, EF, CF, FA and OESPA at 3 months were significantly different from those at 1 week after the procedure （P 〈 0. 05 ）. Other variables at 1 week and 3 months after the pro- cedure were not different from those before （P 〉 0. 05 ）. Conclusion Implantation of ^125I seeds combined with esophageal intraluminal stents may prolong survival time and improve QOL of patients with advanced esophageal cancer.