AIM: To study the expression levels of E- selectin, integrinβ1 and immunoglobulin supperfamily member-intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) in human gastric carcinoma cells, and to explore the relationship between these three kinds of cell adhesion molecules and gastric carcinoma. METHODS: The serum contents of E-selectin, integrinβ1 and ICAM-1 were detected by enzyme-linked immuno-sorbent assay (ELISA), in 47 healthy individuals (control group) and in 57 patients with gastric carcinoma (gastric carcinoma group) respectively prior to operation and 7 d after operation. RESULTS: The serum E-selectin, ECAM-1 and integrinβ1 were found to be expressed in both control and gastric carcinoma groups. However, they were highly expressed in patients with gastric carcinoma patients before operation or with unresectable tumours. The expression levels of ICAM-1 and integrinβ1 were significantly higher in gastric carcinoma patients than in controls (P < 0.01). A comparison of the E-selectin levels between the two groups showed statistically insignificant differnce (P = 0.64). In addition, the expression levels were all decreased substantially in the postoperative patients subjected to radical resection of the tumours, indicating that the high level expressions of these compounds might be the important factor for predicting the prognosis of these patients. CONCLUSION: Serum E-selectin, ICAM-1 and integrin pi expression levels are probably related to the metastasis and relapse of gastric cancer. AIM: To study the expression levels of E-selectin, integrinβ1 and immunoglobulin supperfamily member-intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) in human gastric carcinoma cells, and to explore the relationship between these three kinds of cell adhesion molecules and gastric carcinoma . METHODS: The serum contents of E-selectin, integrinβ1 and ICAM-1 were detected by enzyme-linked immuno-sorbent assay (ELISA), in 47 healthy individuals (control group) and in 57 patients with gastric carcinoma (gastric carcinoma group) RESULTS: The serum E-selectin, ECAM-1 and integrinβ1 were found to be expressed in both control and gastric carcinoma groups. However, they were highly expressed in patients with gastric carcinoma patients before operation Or expression of ICAM-1 and integrinβ1 were significantly higher in gastric carcinoma patients than in controls (P < 0.01). A comparison of the E-selectin Levels addition the two groups can be used in addition to the two groups populated by the two groupspossibly positively instructiveant differnce (P = 0.64). In addition, the expression levels were all decreased substantially in the postoperative patients area to radical resection of the tumours, indicating that the high level expressions of these compounds might be Factor for predicting the prognosis of these patients. CONCLUSION: Serum E-selectin, ICAM-1 and integrin pi expression levels are probably related to the metastasis and relapse of gastric cancer.