The dismal healing rate of esophageal cancer can be improved through identification of risk groups and deployment of methods to effect early diagnosis. Vital staining of epithelial surfaces is a method clinically used to detect carcinoma and dysplasia. Several reports have been published supporting the value of this technique in detecting tumours of different organs. Because of the large surface area of the esophageal mucosa, vital staining can offer a valuable tool for obtaining biopsies, with a high degree of accuracy. In the present investigation, experimentally induced esophageal tumours in mice with various degrees of dysplasia have been stained with toluidine blue. The colour uptake was correlated to the degree of dysplasia observed, as well as to epithelial damage. Toluidine blue uptake correlated significantly to both dysplasia and epithelial damage. The exact way in which toluidine blue is incorporated in the tissue is still not known and needs further investigation.