Objective To study the morphological characteristics of lymph vessels in human gastric cancer and to investigate whether lymph vessel density(LVD) and lymph vessel area are related with lymph node metastasis (LM). Methods Lymphatics in the normal, peripheral and central regions of 70 samples of primary human gastric cancer were investigated by immunohistochemical staining for D2-40. The relation between morphological characteristics of lymph vessel and LM and other established clinicopathological parameters were analyzed. Results Compared with the normal region of human gastric cancer, the peripheral region was found with a significantly highly LVD, and with significant decreases in the average area, average perimeter and total area of lymphatics. The LVD, average area and average perimeter of lymphatics in the peripheral region of human gastric cancer with LM significantly increased compared with those of human gastric cancer without LM.Conclusion Lymph angiogenesis exists in the peripheral region of human gastric cancer, and the lumina of newly formed lymphatics is small, therefore the lymphocinesia of that region is inadequate. Increased LVD and lymph vessel area were significantly related with LM, and may play an important role in detecting LM in human gastric cancer and the decision making for additional surgery.