Objective To analyze the efficacy of and recurrence mode after adjuvant radiotherapy for lower thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (TESCC) patients after radical operation with anastomosis above aortic arch. Methods Sixty-three patients with lower TESCC who received adjuvant radiotherapy after R0 radical operation with anastomosis above aortic arch between February 2011 and February 2019 were retrospectively enrolled. The clinical tumor volume (CTV) included anastomotic stoma, and lymph node drainage area in mediastinum and upper abdomen. The survival status, recurrence and metastasis of tumors, and the influencing factors were analyzed. Results The 1-, 2-, and 3-year overall survival rates were 98.3%, 83.3%, and 63.7%, respectively. The median disease-free survival (DFS) was 33 months [95% confidence interval (23.2, 42.8) months], and the 1-, 2-, and 3-year DFS rates were 76.3%, 58.5%, and 41.7%, respectively. Patients with N0-1 had longer DFS than those with N2-3 (median: not reached vs. 15 months, P=0.045). The recurrence rate of anastomotic site was 7.9%. The recurrence rates of lymph nodes in supraclavicular region, upper middle mediastinum, and upper abdomen were 4.8%, 15.9%, and 1.6%, respectively. The distant metastasis rate was 17.5%. The incidence of grade 2-3 radiation pneumonitis, grade 3 anastomotic stenosis, and grade 3 tracheal fistula were 4.8%, 3.2%, and 1.6%, respectively. Conclusions N2-3 is a poor prognostic factor for such patients. Regional lymph node recurrence is mainly revealed in the middle and upper mediastinum. Whether the CTV should include anastomotic stoma and lymph node drainage area in lower mediastinum and upper abdomen is questionable.