We report a case of a 51-year-old man with esophageal cancer who had a complete pathological response to preoperative chemotherapy with a combination of docetaxel, cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil (DCF). Endoscopy and esophagography showed a type II tumor 8 cm in diameter, located in the upper thoracic esophagus. On computed tomography the diagnosis was T3N1M0, stage III disease according to TNM classification. Before surgery, the patient received DCF therapy, consisting of docetaxel (60 mg/m2) on day 1, cisplatin (60 mg/m2) on day 1, and 5-fluorouracil (800 mg/m2) on days 1–5. The patient had grade 3 hematological toxicity, but two courses were administered as scheduled. After chemotherapy, esophagography and computed tomography showed that the tumor had shrunk. Esophagectomy with three-field lymph node dissection was performed. Histopathologically, an ulcer scar was found, with no residual cancer cells. There were no metastases in dissected lymph nodes. This regimen is considered to have a high potential.