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Background: The primary defense against oxidation damage of tissues are anti-oxidant enzymes, e.g. superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase. Some non-enzymatic substances have a significant anti-oxidant action (e.g. vitamin C, E, beta-carotene and others). The objective of the present work was to follow up the Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase activity, catalase and glutathione peroxidase (anti-oxidant enzymes of the gastric mucosa) in subjects with the risk of developing gastric cancer, e.g. those suffering from atrophic gastritis, hyperplastic polyps and gastric adenoma., Methods and Results: The authors examined 80 subjects (50 men and 30 women) aged 25 - 71 years. In all during endoscopic examination bioptic specimens of the mucosa were taken at standard sites of the gastric corpus and antrum for histological and enzymological examination. Enzymological examination: activity of Cu/Zn-superoxide dismutase (Randox Lab. Ltd. GB kit), catalase activity (modified method of Cavarocchia et al.) and glutathione peroxidase activity (method according to Paglia and Valentine). The Cu/Zn-superoxide dismutase activity was elevated in the group of patients with gastritis after gastrectomy (67%) and with gastric adenoma (35%), the catalase activity in patients with gastritis after gastrectomy (40%) and the glutathione peroxidase activity in patients with the diagnosis of gastritis after gastrectomy (185%), atrophic gastritis (46%) hyperplastic polyp (50%) and gastric adenoma (50%)., Conclusions: The increased activity of anti-oxidant enzymes was due to a higher concentration of the superoxide anion radical, hydrogen peroxide and organic peroxides (lipoperoxides); the source of active types of oxygen are phagocytic leucocytes in the chronically inflamed gastric mucosa.