Objective To investigate the relationship of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), microvessel density (MVD) and progression of gastric carcinoma (GC). Methods The expression of VEGF and MVD in archival waxembedded specimens of 80 cases of GC and 20 gastric benign disease (GBD) were examined by using immunohistochemical staining. ResultsThe positive expression rate (PER) of VEGF in GC was 75.0%, and in GBD 5.0% (P＜0.05). The PER of VEGF in GC with invasive serosa was 95.5%, in those without serosal invasion 50.0% (P＜0.05). 82.8% was the PER of VEGF in GC with lymph node metastasis, 54.5% without lymph node metastasis (P＜0.05).The PER of VEGF in GC accompanied by distant metastasis was 100%, higher than that without distant metastasis (71.0%, P＜0.05). PER of VEGF in pTNM Ⅰ+Ⅱ was 53.1%, in Ⅲ+Ⅳ 89.6% (P＜0.05). MVD correlated significantly with depth of invasion, lymph node metastasis,distant metastasis and pTNM stages (P＜0.05). There was correlationship between MVD and VEGF (P＜0.05).Conclusion VEGF expression upregulation and MVD contribute to the progression of gastric carcinoma.