The angiogenesis is one of the most important factors in tumor development and dissemination. We aimed to evaluate the angiogenesis and its involvement in gastric carcinomas natural history, based on immunohistochemical expression of vascular endothelial growth factor and tumor microvessel counting compared with the most known prognostic factors. We selected 95 cases of gastric carcinomas from patients investigated in gastroenterology and surgery clinics and diagnosed in pathology laboratory of Emergency Hospital Craiova between 2005 and 2009. The immunohistochemical study was performed using the LSAB /HRP (DAKO LSAB 2) technique. VEGF was expressed more frequently in intestinal type tumors, related to tumor differentiation and progression. The highly angiogenic tumors were associated with poor prognostic parameters (blood vessels and lymphatic invasion), and lymph node and distant metastases. Tumor microvessel density (MVD) varied according to histological type and differentiation, and also with tumor progression and dissemination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]