ObjectiveTo investigate effect of laparoscopic radical gastrectomy on gastrointestinal motility and gastrointestinal hormones in patients with gastric cancer. MethodsTwo hundred and eighty-nine patients who underwent laparoscopic radical gastrectomy from December 2013 to December 2015 were selected as observation group, 325 patients underwent laparotomy radical gastrectomy during the same period were selected as control group. The postoperative bowel sounds recovery time, the first anal exhaust time, and gastrin, motilin and vasoactive intestinal peptide levels in blood at 12 h before operation and at 24 h after operation were compared between these two groups. ResultsThe baselines had no significant differences between these two groups (P > 0.05). The postoperative bowel sounds recovery time and the first anal exhaust time in the observation group were significantly shorter than those in the control group (P < 0.05). Compared with the levels at 12 h before operation, the gastrin and motilin levels were significantly decreased and the vasoactive intestinal peptide level was significantly increased at 24 h after operation in these two groups (P < 0.05); Compared with the control group, the gastrin and motilin levels at 24 h after operation were significantly increased (P < 0.05) and the vasoactive intestinal peptide level was significantly decreased in the observation group (P < 0.05). ConclusionsPostoperative gastrointestinal motility recovery time in patients undergoing laparoscopic radical gastrectomy is significantly faster than that of laparotomy radical gastrectomy. There is a certain relation between gastrin, motilin or vasoactive intestinal peptide change and operation mode, it might be one of mechanisms of faster recovery of gastrointestinal motility after laparoscopic radical gastrectomy for gastric cancer.