Abstract: Objective:　To investigate the expression of cell adhesion molecules CD44v5 and CD44v7 and their significance in oral squamous cell carcinoma(OSCC). Methods　Specimens from 43 cases of OSCC and their 13 metastatic lymph nodes were used to detect the expression of CD44v5 and CD44v7 by immunohistochemical SP method. Results　As to 13 cases which had lymph nodes involvement, the expression level of CD44v5 was much higher in the primary tumor than that in the metastasis(lymph nodes), and there was statistial significance (P<0.05); the expression level of CD44v7 was much higher in the primary tumor without metastatic lymph node than that with metastatic lymph node, and there was statistial significance (P<0.05). In the 43 cases of primary tumor, no significant difference was observed in the expression of CD44v5 between OSCC with and without metastatic lymph node; there was no statistically significant difference in the expression of CD44v7 in the metastasis and primary tumor (P>0.05). Conclusions　CD44v5 and CD44v7 may be related to metastasis in OSCC.