The effect of proximal subtotal or total gastrectomy by choosing abdominal median incision plus left 7-9 ribs resection in 32 cases of upper gastric cancer had been studied. There was 1 case of residual tumor cells at the esophageal margin, 1 case of hydrothorax and hydrops of costal bed, no costal chondritis, pneumothorax and fistula formation. We consider that it is better to choose abdominal median incision plus left ribs resection in patients with upper gastric cancer in which subphrenic esophageal invasion is under 2cm of length and the function of heart or lung is severely damaged.