Objectives To detect the nm23 expression in osteosarcoma, analyze the correlation between nm23 expression and early metastasis and to study the relation between nm23 expression with tumor differentiation and cell proliferation, as defined by Ki-67 labeling.Methods nm23 oncoprotein expression was measured by immunohistochemical staining using formalin fixed, paraffin embedded sections of 39 surgically resected osteosarcomas and was compared with Ki-67 expression, histological findings and early metastasis. In each sample, the grading of immunoreactivity was recorded as 0, 1+, 2+ according to the percentage of nm23 and Ki-67 labeling cells respectively.Results The cases with more than 25% positive immunoreactivity of nm23 protein were detected in 48.7% of the total cases. There was no statistical difference between nm23 expression and early metastasis, but the cases with nm23 expression appeared to have a trend to get early metastasis. nm23 expression was significantly correlated with Ki-67 expression, which was associated with differentiation of the tumor cells.Conclusion The role of nm23 as a tumor metastasis suppressor in osteosarcoma is less prominent. Both nm23 and Ki-67 may help predict the possibility of early metastasis in human osteosarcomas.