Objective To evaluate the changes of liver function after laparoscopic-assisted radical gastrectomy for gastric cancer and analyze related impact factors. Methods Patients with gastric cancer or colon cancer, who underwent radical gastrectomy or hemicolectomy between Jun 2008 and Jun 2010 in General Hospital of PLA, were included in this study. These patients were divided into open gastrectomy （OG group, n=43）, laparoscopic-assisted gastrectomy （LAG group, n=35）, and laparoscopic-assisted hemicolectomy （LAC group, n=23）. The serum AST, ALT, TB, and ALP levels of all patients enrolled on the preoperative day and post operative day （POD） 1, POD3, POD5, and POD7, and related impact factors were analyzed. Results Compared with the preoperative results, serum AST and ALT levels of patients increased until POD5 in both LAG and OG groups （P＜0.05）, and there was no changes in liver function after operation of patients in LAC group （P＞0.05）. In addition to that serum AST and ALT levels of patients in LAG group in POD1 were significantly higher than those in OG group （P=0.035 and P=0.041）， and that serum ALT level of patients in LAG group was significantly lower than that in OG group in POD3 （P=0.048）, serum AST and ALT levels of patients in two groups in the remaining time points were not statistically significant difference （P＞0.05）. The serum AST and ALT levels of patients in LAG group were significantly higher than those in LAC group during 5 d after operation （P＜0.05）.There was no significant changes of serum ALP and TB levels of patients in LAG and OG groups on the before and after operation （P＞0.05）. The increased serum ALT level of gastric cancer patients after operation related to body mass index （BMI, P=0.038）, operative time （P=0.011）, intraoperative hepatic injury （P=0.035）, and abnormal ligation of hepatic artery （P=0.048）, instead of the type of operation （OG vs.LAG, P＞0.05）. Conclusions Gastric cancer patients who underwent radical gastrectomy have transient liver dysfunction, which attributes mainly to direct liver manipulation or abnormal ligation of hepatic artery, but not CO2 pneumoperitoneum. Laparoscopic-assisted radical gastrectomy is feasible and safe to the patients without serious liver damage or other vital organs disorders.