ObjectiveTo explore the clinical effect of keeping the pancreatic capsule in radical gastrectomy for early stage of gastric cancer. MethodsTwo hundreds and seven patients with early stage of gastric cancer who were treated in our hospital from Jan 2011 to December 2011 were enrolled prospectively, and were divided into experimental group (n=95) and control group (n=112). Patients in experimental group kept the pancreatic capsule in radical gastrec-tomy, but patients in control group didn't keep the pancreatic capsule. Comparison of the clinical effect between the 2 groups was performed. ResultsThe blood loss[(134.1±5.3) mL vs. (150.3±3.7) mL] and operation time[(76.4±5.7) min vs. (87.5±9.1) min]of experimental group were all lower or shorter than those of control group (P<0.05), but there were no significant difference between the 2 groups in incidence of total complication[7.37% (7/95) vs. 10.71% (12/112)], stomal leak[3.16% (3/95) vs. 4.46% (5/112)], and anastomotic stenosis[4.21% (4/95) vs. 6.25% (7/112)], P>0.05. All of the 207 patients were followed-up for 1-36 months, with the median time of 17.5 months. During the follow-up period, in experimental group, there were 30 patients suffered from recurrence, 23 patients suffered from metastasis, and 44 patients died, and the 1-and 3-year survival rates was 84.21% (80/95) and 53.68% (51/95) respectively, 1- and 3-year disease free survival rates was 80.00% (76/95) and 48.42% (46/95) respectively; in control group, there were 37 patients suffered from recurrence, 23 patients suffered from metastasis, and 49 patients died, and the 1-and 3-year survival rates was 85.71% (96/112) and 56.25% (63/112) respectively, 1-and 3-year disease free survival rates was 81.25% (91/112) and 49.11% (55/112) respectively. There were no significant difference in the 1-and 3-year survival rate, 1-and 3-year disease free survival rate (P>0.05). In addition, there were no significant difference in the survival and disease free survival situation (P>0.05). ConclusionsSurvival and disease free survival situation of keeping the pancreatic capsule in radical gastrectomy is similar with traditionally radical gastrectomy, but surgery of keeping the pancreatic capsule in radical gastrectomy has the advantages of less bleeding and shorter operation time, which is worthy of further study.