Objective: To investigate the expression of Wnt7a protein in gastric cancer tissue, and its association with clinicopathologic features and prognosis of the patients. 
Methods: The surgical specimens of 135 gastric cancer patients were collected. The Wnt7a protein expressions in gastric cancer tissues and tumor adjacent tissues were determined by Western blot and immunohistochemical staining, respectively. The relationship between Wnt7a protein expression and clinicopathologic characteristics as well as the disease-free survival rate and overall survival rate of the patients were analyzed.
Results: The expression level of Wnt7a protein in gastric cancer tissue was higher than that in tumor adjacent tissue, and the high expression rate of Wnt7a protein in gastric cancer tissue was also significantly higher than that in tumor adjacent tissue (χ2=30.5, P=0.000). The Wnt7a protein expression was not associated with sex, age, HP infection, degree of differentiation and Lauren typing (all P>0.05), but was significantly associated with TNM stage, distant metastasis and lymph node metastasis (all P<0.05). The 1- and 5-years disease-free survival rate of overall survival rate in gastric cancer patients with high Wnt7a expression were significantly lower than those in Wnt7a gastric cancer patients with low Wnt7a expression (all P<0.01). High Wnt7a expression (P=0.01) and distant metastasis (P=0.02) were independent risk factors for disease-free survival rate of gastric cancer patients, while high Wnt7a expression (P=0.02) along with TNM stage (P=0.03) and distant metastasis (P<0.01) were independent risk factors for overall survival rate of gastric cancer patients. 
Conclusion: Wnt7a protein is highly expressed in gastric cancer tissue, and high Wnt7a protein expression is significantly associated with malignant pathological features of the patients. Wnt7a protein expression can be used as a predictor for postoperative survival of gastric cancer patients.