In order to assess the role of the changes of DCC and APC/MCC genes in the development and progression of gastric cancer, the loss of heterozygosity (LOH) of these genetic loci was investigated in 45 surgical specimens of gastric cancer with PCR-RFLP. The rate of LOH was 30.0% (9/30) at APC/MCC gene and 33.3% (15/45) at DCC gene. LOH was found in both intestinal and gastric types of gastric cancer and the rate of LOH of DCC gene was significantly higher in stages III to approximately IV gastric cancer (48.0%) than in stages I to approximately II (15.0%) (P<0.05). LOH of APC/MCC gene could be found in both early and advanced stages of gastric cancer. These findings suggest that changes of DCC and APC/MCC genes are involved in the development and progression of the intestinal and gastric types of gastric cancer.