Objective To investigate the expression of VGLL4 protein in gastric carcinoma tissues and its relationships with clinicopathological parameters. Methods The expressions of VGLL4 protein were determined with immunohistochemical SP method in 168 samples of gastric cancer and adjacent tissues. Their correlations with clinicopathological parameters were analyzed. Results The positive expression of VGLL4 protein mainly located in the nuclei, in a few incidence in the cytoplasm. VGLL4 protein expression was reduced in the gastric cancer tissues. The VGLL4 expression was less in the gastric cancers with deep infiltration, lymph node metastasis and high TNM stage, suggesting that low expression of VGLL4 protein in gastric cancer was associated with poor prognosis. Conclusions VGLL4 protein expression in gastric cancer is lower than that in the adjacent tissues and negatively correlated with tumor progression and tumor malignancy. VGLL4 is a potential tumor suppressor protein.