Abstract: Objective: To compare the effects of laparoscopic and distal gastrectomy in gastric cancer treatment. Methods: Sixty-four patients with gastric cancer were divided into laparoscopic group and traditional gastrectomy group. The differences of safety, postoperative recovery,radical effect of tumor and cost of medicine between the two groups were compared. Results: There were no postoperative complications and operative deaths in 30 patients of laparoscopic group and 34 patients of traditional gastrectomy group. There were 3 patients of laparoscopic group converted to traditional gastrectomy during laparoscopic surgery. The operative time,blood loss,postoperative complications had no significant differences between the two groups(P > 0.05); The time of patients' exhaust and down bed,and the days of hospital stay in patients accepted laparoscopic surgery were significantly shorter than that in patients accepted gastrectomy(P < 0.05); the length of resected tissues and the total number of lymph nodes excised were no significant differences between the two groups, neither the total medical costs (P > 0.05). Conclusions: The laparoscopic distal gastrectomy were safe, effective,economic,and consistent with the principles of cancer therapy.