Abstract: Objective 　To investing ate the role of β-catenin, E-cadherin and FAK in the carcinogenesis and rogression of colorectal carcinoma. Methods 　Expression of β-catenin, E-cadherin and FAK was examined immunohistochemically in 12 cases of normal colorectal mucosa, 28 cases of colorectal adenoma, 49 cases of colorectal carcinoma. Results 　The rate of cytoplasmic and/or nuclear expression of β-catenin was 61. 2 % in coloretal arcinoma, which was significantly higher than that in colorectal adenoma (35. 7 %, P< 0. 05 ) . The rate of the reduced membranous expression of β-catenin and E-cadherin was 67. 3 %, 57. 1 % respectively in colorectal carcinoma, which was significantly higher than that in the colorectal adenoma and normal colorectal epithelium. The rate of FAK expression was 65. 3 % in colorectal carcinoma, which was significantly higher than that in the colorectal adenoma and in the normal colorectal epithelium ( P < 0. 01) . In addition, the last four kinds of expression was associated with degree of soakage, lymph node metastasis and Dukes stage. There was a positive correlation between FA K expression and the reduced membranous expression of β-catenin might play a role in the carcinogenesis and progression of colorectal carcinoma. Conclusion 　The cytoplasmic and/ or nuclear expression of β-catenin, the reduced membranous expression of β-catenin and E-cadherin and FAK expression might be related to the invasion and etastasis of colorectal carcinoma, In which FAK might restrain the adhesion among carcinoma cells.