Objective:This study has investigated the existence of label-retaining cell and its distribution in gastric cancer,in the hope that this information will assist investigations on gastric cancer stem cells.Methods:The gastric carcinoma cell line BGC-823 was labeled with BrdU in vitro and then engrafted into the right axilla of nude mice,which developed tumors.Label-retaining cells were quantified by immunohistochemical methods.Results:BrdU positive cells constituted about 96%of the cells in xenograft tumors after 10 days.Subsequently,BrdU positive cells gradually decreased,at the 80th day,labelretaining cells steadily occupied about 0.5%.This set of population cell localized in the margin of cancer nests,which had no difference in cellular morpha.Conclusion:The study demonstrates the presence of label-retaining cells in human gastric cancer xenografts in nude mice and the label-retaining cells may be related with cancer stem cells,which are most likely the cause for spread,metastasis and recurrence. Objective: This study has investigated the existence of label-retaining cell and its distribution in gastric cancer, in the hope that this information will assist investigations on gastric cancer stem cells. Methods: The gastric carcinoma cell line BGC-823 was labeled with BrdU in vitro and then engrafted into the right axilla of nude mice, which developed tumors. Labell-retaining cells were quantified by immunohistochemical methods. Results: BrdU positive cells containing about 96% of the cells in xenograft tumors after 10 days. Substituted, BrdU positive cells gradually decreased, at the 80th day, labelreservation cells steadily occupancy about 0.5%. This set of population cell localized in the margin of cancer nests, which had no difference in cellular morpha. Confluence: The study demonstrates the presence of label-retaining cells in human gastric cancer xenografts in nude mice and the label-retaining cells may be related with cancer stem cells, which are most likely the cause for spread, metastasis an d recurrence