Objective: Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is associated with a subset of gastric cancers (GC) . In this study, the prevalence of EBV and its presence in the development of GC were assessed. Method: EBV was evaluated in GC by tissue microarrays using in situ hybridization for EBER (n=610). Non-tumorous, dysplasia, intramucosal and invasive carcinomas and metastasis of EBV positive GC were analyzed (n=22). p53 expressen was evaluated in EBV positive and a subset of 84 EBV negative GC. Results: 4.9 % of gastric cancers were positive for EBER. All invasive cancers showed diffuse EBER positivity and only 2 lymph nodes revealed a focal loss of EBER. In 13 GC with foci of atypia/low grade dysplasia, no or only focal EBER positivity was observed. p53 was overexpressed in 24 of 84 EBV negative but not in EBV positive GC (28.6 % vs. 0 %; p=0.007). Conclusion: EBV is diffusely expressed in invasive GC and only occasionally lost in metastasis. In low grade dysplasia, however, EBV is often focal or missing, indicating that EBV infection may be associated with progression from low grade dysplasia to invasive cancer and this progression is p53 independent.