摘要AIM To understand the rule and possible function of apoptosis and protein expression of bcl-2, p53 and C-myc in chronic gastritis, gastric ulcer, non-classic proliferation of gastric mucosa and gastric cancer.METHODS Apoptosis was detected by using in situ terminal labelling (TUNEL). The protein expression ofbcl-2, p53 and C-myc was detected by immunohistochemical method.RESULTS The indexes of apoptosis in chronic active gastritis, gastric ulcer, mild and severe non-classicproliferation of gastric mucosa, early and progressive gastric cancer were 16.8%±12.3%, 24.1%±20.0%,19.3%±16.4%, 15.7%±15.2%, 10.1%±9.1% and 6.3%±6.0%, respectively. The index of progressivegastric cancer was lower than that of early gastric cancer and non-classic proliferation of gastric mucosa(P<0.05). The positive rate of bcl-2 protein was 9.4%, 27.6%, 52.9%, 75.0%, 83.3% and 46.7%,respectively. The positive rate of bcl-2 of early gastric cancer was higher than that of progressive gastriccancer. The positive rates of p53 protein of severe non-classic proliferation, early and progressive gastriccancer were 25.0%, 33.3% and 63.3%, respectively. The positive rate of p53 of progressive gastric cancerwas higher than that of early gastric cancer and non-classic proliferation (P<0.05). In Lauren types, theindex of apoptosis, protein expression rates of bcl-2, p53 and C-myc of intestinal type were 8.3%±7.2%,38.9%, 77.7% and 56.6%, while that of diffuse type were 5.1%±4.9%, 58.3%, 50.0% and 8.3%,respectively. All markers had statistical difference between two types (P<0.05).CONCLUSION Apoptosis was inhibited stepwise in the development of non-classic proliferation of gastricmucosa to early gastric cancer and then to progressive gastric cancer. The high expression of bcl-2, p53 andC-myc was related to the development of gastric cancer, bcl-2 might play an important role in early gastriccancer while p53 and C-myc act mostly in middle and late stage gastric cancer. The Lauren typing of gastriccancer is closely related to the index of apoptosis and expression of bcl-2, p53 and C-myc.