The effect of a purified, high protein diet on enhanced gastric carcinogenesis induced by oral administration of NaCl was investigated in Wistar rats. Rats were fed on a purified diet with an equalized caloric content, containing 8% NaCl and 25% casein (normal protein diet), or 50% casein (high protein diet) after oral treatment with N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine for 25 weeks. In week 52, oral administration of NaCl had significantly increased the incidence and size of gastric cancer in rats fed a normal protein diet. However, NaCl had no significant effect on gastric carcinogenesis in rats fed a high protein diet. Oral administration of NaCl also caused a significant increase in tissue norepinephrine concentrations in the antral portion of the gastric wall, and increased the labeling indices of the antral epithelial cells of rats fed on a normal protein diet. However, in rats fed a high protein diet, administration of NaCl had no significant influence on these two parameters. These findings indicate that a high protein diet attenuates enhanced gastric carcinogenesis induced by the administration of NaCl, and that this effect may be related to its ability to decrease norepinephrine concentrations in the gastric wall, which subsequently decreases the proliferation of antral epithelial cells.