Objective To explore the expression of caudal type homeobox transcription factor 2 (Cdx2) and liver intestinal cadherin (LI-CD) in intestinal metaplasia ( IM ) of gastric mucosa and gastric adenocarcinoma of the intestinal type (GAIT). Methods By using immunohistochemical method, the ex-pressions of Cdx2 and LI-CD were detected in biopsy sample including 30 cases of GAIT, 30 IM and 30 nor-mal controls. Results The positive rate of Cdx2 expression was 0, 93.3% and 46.7% in normal stomach mucosa, IM and GAIT, respectively. The positive rates of Cdx2 expression in IM and GAIT were significant-ly higher than that in normal stomach mucosa ( P < 0. 005 ), and the expression of Cdx2 in IM was signifi-cantly higher than that in GAIT (P<0. 005). Similarly, LI-CD was also negative in normal stomach muco-sa, and positive rates were 96. 7% and 73. 3% in IM and GAIT group, which were significantly higher than that in normal stomach mucasa (P < 0. 005 ), and LI-CD expression was also significantly higher in IM than in GAIT (P < 0. 05 ). In addition, the staining intensity of Cdx2 and LI-CD expressions in IM exhibited sig-nificant correlation (r=0. 827, P<0.01), but those in GAIT did not (r =0.438, P=0. 117). Conclu-sion Ectopic expression of Cdx2 and LI-CD can be found in IM and GAIT tissues, which could be an early marker in the disease progression. There is correlation between Cdx2 and LI-CD expression in IM tissue of human, and presumably, Cdx2 regulates LI-CD in IM development.