Expression of CD44v mRNA in 20 patients with gastric tumor was investigated to identify the correlation of the CD44 gene splice and abnormal expression with the clinicopathological changes. The results showed that CD44v mRNA was expressed in 16 of 20 gastric cancers. In 5 out of the 10 mucosa tissues adjacent to gastric cancer, However, no expression of CD44v mRNA was found in all 10 normal mucosa specimens; Positive expression was found in 15 of 16 patients with lymph node metastasis, and 1 out of 4 patients without lymph node metastasis, as well as 5 cases with distant metastasis (P<0.05). Positive expression of CD44v was found in 2 out of 5 well differentiated type gastric cancers, and 14 out of 15 poorly differentiated gastric cancers. Differences were found in the expression between the two types of gastric mucosa (P<0.05). All the mucosa samples including normal gastric mucosa, gastric cancer and its adjacent tissues presented the standard CD44v mRNA. The conclusion was that the abnormal expression of CD44v is a universal significance in gastric cancer, which might serve as an early marker of gastric cancer and metastasis. Expression of CD44v mRNA in 20 patients with gastric tumor was investigated to identify the correlation of the CD44 gene splice and abnormal expression with the clinicopathological changes. The results showed that CD44v mRNA was expressed in 16 of 20 gastric cancers. In 5 out of the 10 Mucosa features adjacent to gastric cancer, However, no expression of CD44v mRNA was found in all 10 normal mucosa specimens; Positive expression was found in 15 of 16 patients with lymph node metastasis, and 1 out of 4 patients without lymph node metastasis, as well As 5 cases with distant metastasis (P<0.05). Positive expression of CD44v was found in 2 out of 5 well differentiated type gastric cancers, and 14 out of 15 poorly differentiated gastric cancers. Differences were found in the expression between the two types of Gastric mucosa (P<0.05). All the mucosa samples including normal gastric mucosa, gastric cancer and its adjacent tissues presented the standard CD44v mRNA. The conclusion was that th e abnormal expression of CD44v is a universal significance in gastric cancer, which might serve as an early marker of gastric cancer and metastasis.