【Objective】 To explore the relationship between methylation of promoter and the expression of E-cadherin proteins in colorectal cancer. 【Methods】 Streptavidin-peroxidase (S-P) two-step method was used to measure the immunohistochemical expression of E-cadherin proteins in 100 CRC. Those slides exhibiting diffuse immunostaining presenting more than 75% of tumor cells were classified as (+++)

between 50% and 75% were classified as (++)

between 25% and 50% were classified as (+)

and those with immunoreactivity less than 10% were classified as (-).(-) and (+) were combine together as lower expression cases

while (++) and (+++) were combined together as higher expression cases for statistical analysis. 【Results】 The positive rate of E-cadherin proteins was 76% (+ ~ +++) in 100 sporadic colorectal cancer specimen. Fifty-nine cases showed higher expression of E-cadherin

while decreased E-cadherin immunohistochemical expression was observed in 41 cases. The methylation positive rate was 68.3% of E-cadherin was significant association with protein decreased expression of E-cadherin gene (P < 0.001). 【Conclusion】 Methylation of E-cadherin gene was significant association with E-cadherin protein decreased expression. The loss of E-cadherin protein was one of the important influence factors in colorectal cancer metastatic and invasive.