Objective To investigate the clinical efficacy of laparoscopic radical gastrectomy in elderly patients with advanced gastric cancer. Methods The clinical data of 85 elderly patients with advanced gastric cancer who were admitted to the Ningbo First Hospital from January 2012 to June 2014 were retrospectively analyzed. Laparoscopic radical gastrectomy was performed on 46 patients (LRG group) and open radical gastrectomy on 39 patients (ORG group). All the patients underwent primary tumor resection for gastric cancer + D2 lymph node dissection , and the postoperative recovery plans were done according to enhanced recovery program. The volume of blood loss, number of lymph node dissected, operation time, intraoperative arterial partial pressure of carbon dioxid (PaCO2) , time to anal exsufflation, indwelling time of gastric tube, time for out-off-bed activity, time for fluid diet intake, postoperative hemoglobin, duration of hospital stay and occurrence of complications in the 2 groups were analyzed. The follow-up by outpatient examination and telephone interview was carried out on patients up to August 2014. The count data were analyzed by the chi-square test and Fisher exact probability. The measurement data with normal distribution were presented as ±s and analyzed using the t test. The t' test was used if the data were deficient. Results Surgical procedures in the 2 groups were successfully carried out and no perioperative death occurred. There was no conversion to open surgery in the LRG group. The resection margins in all the patients were negative. The operation time and number of lymph node dissection in the LRG group were (239 ±68) minutes and 27 ±10, compared with (227 ±50) minutes and 26 ±10 in the ORG group, with significant differences (t =0.919, 0.179, P >0.05). PaCO2 in the LRG group was (41 ± 5) mmHg (1 mmHg = 0.133 kPa) , which was significantly higher than(36 ±5) mmHg in the ORG group (t =4.745, P <0.05). The volume of blood loss was (102 ±44) mL in the LRG group, which was significantly less than (200 ±120) mL in the OPG group (t' =-4.807, P <0.05). The postoperative level of hemoglobin in the LRG was(110 ±15) g/ L, which was significantly higher than (98 ±27) g/ L in the ORG group (t' =2.471, P <0.05). The time to anal exsufflation, indwelling time of gastric tube, time for out-off-bed activity, time for fluid diet intake, duration of hospital stay in the LRG group were (2.6 ±0.7) days, (2.1 ±0.7) days, (1.1 ±0.3) days, (4.1 ±0.7) days and (11 ±4) days, which were significantly different from (4.8 ±1.5) days, (4.0 ±1.8) days, (4.5 ±0.6) days, (5.9 ±1.8) days and (18 ±3) days in the ORG group (t' =-8.415, -6.206, -33.831, -5.879, t =9.632, P<0.05). Eight patients in the LRG group and 15 patients in the ORG group had complications, with the incidence of complications of 17.4% (8/ 46) and 38.5 % (15/ 39) , respectively, showing a significant difference (χ2=4.748, P <0.05). Forty-four patients in the LRG group and 36 patients in the ORG gorup were followed up for 2-25 months, 1 patient in the LRG group and 2 patients in the ORG group died and others had full recovery. Conclusions Laparoscopic radical gastrectomy could provide a safe and complete tumor resection for elderly patients with advanced gastric cancer compared with open radical gastrectomy, meanwhile, it can improve postoperative recovery and reduce postoperative complications in elderly patients with advanced gastric cancer. Key words: Gastric neoplasms; Laparoscopy; Radical gastrectomy; Elderly patients; Curative effect