【Abstract】ObjectiveTo study the effect of preoperative gastric arterial chemoembolization on apoptosis of lymph node metastasis of gastric cancer. MethodsForty patients with gastric cancer and lymph node metastasis underwent curative resection, among which there were 20 patients who received the preoperative gastric arterial chemoembolization, and they constituted the treatment group. The rest of the patients were included in the control group. The expressions of p53, CD95 and bcl-2 were examined by immunohistochemistry and apoptosis in the lymph node metastasis was examined by in situ terminal transferasemediated dUTP nick end labeling （TUNEL）. ResultsThe expression intensity of p53 and CD95 in lymph node metastasis of treatment group increased more significantly than that of control group, whereas the expression intensity of bcl-2 decreased in treatment group. There was a significantly positive correlation between the expressions of p53 and CD95 and the apoptosis.ConclusionPreoperative gastric arterial chemoembolization may affect the expressions of p53, CD95 and bcl-2 and may induce the apoptosis of lymph node metastasis. It may be helpful to improve the effect of curative resection of gastric cancer.