The paper reports the authors' experience in a group of 546 patients who underwent surgical treatment for gastric cancer from 1981 to 1988. Of 437 patients (80%) with advanced gastric cancer, 121 (28%) received palliative treatment and 316 (72%) were treated for curative purposes. Postoperative care was normal in 331 patients with a mean hospital stay of 11 days; various complications occurred in 106 patients with a mean hospital stay of 26 days. Overall operative mortality was 6% (27 patients). This study aimed to assess the main factor responsible for postoperative morbidity and mortality. Findings were compared to previously reported data and were shown to be similar.