As　the　most　common　intracranial　malignant　neoplasms,　astrocytomas　are　characterized　by　high　neovascularization　and　severe　peritumoral　brain　edema　(PTBE).　Angiogenesis　is　a　prerequisite　for　the　growth　of　solid　tumors,　including　astrocytoma,　and　brain-specific　angiogenesis　inhibitor　1　(BAI1)　is　a　novel　angiogenesis　inhibitor.　In　the　present　study,　the　expression　levels　of　BAI1,　vascular　endothelial　growth　factor　(VEGF)　and　basic　fibroblast　growth　factor　(bFGF)　were　investigated　using　immunohistochemical　methods　in　90　human　brain　astrocytoma　specimens　of　various　pathological　grades　and　in　11　normal　human　brain　tissues.　Vascular　endothelial　cells　were　stained　for　CD105　and　the　microvessel　density　(MVD)　was　assessed.　The　volume　of　astrocytoma　and　PTBE　in　each　case　was　evaluated　by　magnetic　resonance　imaging　(MRI).　The　results　showed　that　BAI1　was　highly　expressed　in　the　normal　brain　tissues,　but　that　the　expression　decreased　with　the　rising　pathological　grades　of　astrocytoma,　MVD　number　and　PTBE,　indicating　that　BAI1　expression　was　inversely　correlated　with　these　factors.　Furthermore,　it　was　observed　that　the　expression　of　VEGF　and　bFGF　were　inversely　correlated　with　BAI1　expression　in　the　human　brain　astrocytomas.　These　results　indicate　that　the　BAI1　gene　may　be　used　as　a　marker　of　decreased　tumor　progression　and　tumoral　neovascularization,　as　well　as　PTBE.