The expression of p21, p53, bcl-2 oncoprotein was evaluated using immunohistochemistry in 40 patients with gallbladder carcinoma and 8 patients with gallbladder adenomous polyp. In the study, the positive rate of expression of p21, p53 and bcl-2 oncoprotein was 52.5%, 52.5% and 70.0% respectively in gallbladder carcinoma, while, in gallbladder polyp, they were 0%, 0% and 100% respectively. The positive rate of expression of p53 oncoprotein was significantly higher in poor-differentiated adenocarcinomas than in well-differentiated ones (P<0.05). The converse was true for bcl-2 oncoprotein. The positive rate of expression of p21 and p53 oncoprotein was significantly higher in metastatic group than in non-metastatic one. These results suggest that the patients with the expression of p21, p53 might be of poor-prognosis.