Objective To investigate the expression of syndecan-1 protein in gastric carcinoma and normal gastric mucosa tissues, and find out the correlation between the expression of syndecan-1 protein and the clinicopathologic characteristics of gastric carcinoma. Methods The expression of syndecan-1 protein was detected by immunohistochemistry (ABC) in 60 cases of gastric carcinoma, including gastric carcinoma tissues and normal gastric mucosa tissues. Results Syndecan-1 protein expressed in all of the 60 normal gastric mucosa tissues, however, only 10 of 60 gastric carcinoma tissues (16.67%) showed positive expression. The positive rate of syndecan-1 expression in normal gastric mucosa tissues was higher than that in gastric carcinoma tissues, and this difference was statistically significant (χ2=65.88, P＜0.05). The expression level of syndecan-1 protein in gastric carcinoma tissues with lymph node metastasis was lower than that without lymph node metastasis, and this difference was also statistically significant (χ2 =18.62, P＜0.05). In addition, syndecan-1 expression was not correlated with patients’ age and position of tumor (Pgt;0.05), but correlated with the diameter， invasion depth and TNM stage of tumor (Plt;0.05). Conclusion The positive expression of syndecan-1 protein is low in gastric carcinoma tissue and has b correlation with tumor stage and lymph node metastasis.