Objective: To detect the expression of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in human rectal carcinoma, to study their correlation in invasion and metastasis. Methods: The expression of FAK and VEGF in 86 specimens resected from patients with rectal carcinoma and 30 non-rectal carcinoma specimens, was investigated by immunohistochemical SABC method respectively. Results: the positive rate of FAK, VEGF was 80 % and 59% respectively in rectal carcinoma. However, non-rectal carcinoma was 10% and 13 % respectively. The diference was significant (P