AIM: To study the effect of IGF-1/IGF-1R and gastrin/ CCK-BR on carcinogenesis and development of human gastric carcinoma and to explore its mechanism and provide a credible theoretical foundation for early diagnosis and molecular therapy of gastric carcinoma. METHODS: mRNA expression levels of IGF-1/IGF-1R and gastrin/CCK-BR were assessed by RT-PCR method in gastric cancer tissues, adjacent mucosa, and tumor-free tissues from 56 patients with gastric carcinoma and normal gastric mucosae from 56 healthy controls. Tissue specimens were obtained by biopsy and confirmed by histological evaluation.RESULTS: The mRNA levels of IGF-1/IGF-1R were increased in gastric cancer tissues compared with normal tissues from healthy controls and successively increased in tumor-free tissues, adjacent mucosa, and gastric cancer tissues. The mRNA levels of gastrin/CCK-BR were increased in gastric cancer tissues compared with normal tissues from healthy controls. There was a significant difference between gastric cancer tissues and adjacent mucosa and tumor-free tissues, but the mRNA levels of gastrin were not significantly increased in adjacent mucosa and gastric cancer tissues compared with tumorfree tissues. The mRNA levels of CCK-BR were increased in gastric cancer tissues and adjacent mucosa compared with tumor-free tissues, but not significantly increased in adjacent mucosa and gastric cancer tissues compared with gastric cancer tissues. CONCLUSION: Overexpression of IGF-1/IGF-1R and gastrin/CCK-BR promotes the disorderly proliferation of gastric mucosa epithelia and it is of great significance in the carcinogenesis and development of gastric carcinoma.