Ki-67 expression was positively correlated with tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) staging and p53 expression of gastric cancer (P<0.05), but not with the patients’ age or gender, tumor size, depth of invasion, lymphatic or venous invasion, lymph node metastasis or Lauren’s classification (P>0.05; Table I). Here, TP53 is linked to metastatic malignant neoplasm in the lymph nodes.