Objective To investigate the reasonable indication of splenectomy in radical resection for advanced proximal gastric cancer (APGC). Methods Fifty patients with APGC were studied and classified into total gastrectomy with splenectomy (TGS) group (n=18) and total gastrectomy without splenectomy (TG) group (n=32). The operation time, hospitalized duration, complications, and lymphe node metastasis at the spleen hilus were compared between two groups. Results The operation time, hospitalized duration and subphrenic infection rate in the TGS group were significantly higher than those in the TG group (Plt;0.05). The rate of lymph node metasitasis of No.10 and No.11 in the TG group was not different from that in TGS group (Pgt;0.05). Conclusion Direct spleen and its vessel invasion are the reasonable indication of splenectomy in radical resection for APGC.