Objective To explore the effect of modified breathing exercise on nausea and vomiting during oral feeding in esophageal cancer patients after surgery. Methods A total of 57 patients undergoing elective radical resection of esophageal cancer were selected and divided into a control group （n=29） and an experimental group （n=28）.The control group received routine perioperative nursing, while the experimental group additionally conducted functional exercise by modified breathing exercise, which started at admission, 4 times a day, 20 minutes each time, lasting 8 weeks.The intervention effect was evaluated at 1 week, 2 weeks, 4 weeks and 8 weeks after operation by using the Index of Nausea and Vomiting nd Retching （INVR） and Functional Living Index-Emesis （FLIE）. Results During oral feeding, the scores of INVR and FLIE at 1 week, 2 weeks, 4 weeks and 8 weeks after operation in the experimental group were significantly better than those of the control group（all P＜0.05）. Conclusion The modified breathing exercise can improve the symptoms of nausea and vomiting during oral feeding in esophageal cancer patients after surge-ry, and promote their postoperative quality of life.