We examined the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) levels in peripheral blood and drainage vein (plasma and serum), and then these were compared with local VEGF expression from gastric cancer. Peripheral blood plasma VEGF levels was increased in the patients with venous invasion, and moderately correlated with the number and ratio of lymph nodes with metastasis. Local VEGF expression was correlated significantly with tumor size, advanced stage and lymph node metastasis, but not correlated with peripheral VEGF levels. The level of plasma VEGF in peripheral veins is one of the sensitive markers of the status of gastric cancer.