A decentered flattened Gaussian beam (DEFGB), is defined by a tensor method. The propagation formula for a DEFGB passing through an axially nonsymmetrical paraxial optical system is derived through vector integration. The derived formula can be reduced to the formula for a generalized decentered elliptical flattened Gaussian beam under certain condition. As an example application of the derived formula, the propagation characteristics of a DEFGB in free space are calculated and discussed. As another example we have studied the properties of superposition with radial array consisted by DEFGB. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.