Objective: To compare the clinical efficacy of laparoscopy-assisted gastrectomy and conventional open gastrectomy in treatment of early gastric cancer (EGC). Methods: The clinical data of 112 EGC patients undergoing surgical treatment at our department from February 2006 to February 2011 were retrospectively analyzed. Of the patients, 55 cases underwent laparoscopy-assisted gastrectomy (laparoscopy group) and 57 cases underwent open gastrectomy (open surgery group). The operative time, blood loss, tumor resection margins, and the time to flatus passage, starting time of the liquid diet, hospital stay and complications after surgery, as well as the pathological findings and follow-up data between the two groups were compared. Results: The operative time ［(196.5±48.9) min］, blood loss ［(142.3±142.7) mL］, postoperative flatus passage time ［(2.8±1.1) d］, starting time of the liquid diet ［(5.1±1.8) d］ and postoperative hospital stay ［(10.3±1.1) d］ of the laparoscopy group were significantly reduced compared with those of the open surgery group ［(216.8±47.1) min, (246.0±148.4) mL, (4.5±1.5) d, (7.2±3.4) d and (13.2±3.6) d］ (all P＜0.05). No statistical difference was noted in tumor resection margins, number of lymph nodes removed, postoperative complication incidence ［(4.1±1.6) cm/(3.5±1.5) cm, (13.2±6.9), 9.1% vs. (4.0±1.8) cm/(3.6±1.7) cm, (14.3±7.7), 10.5%］ between the two groups (all P＞0.05). No tumor recurrence or metastasis occurred in the laparoscopy group during a median follow-up period of 24 (2-66) months, while one patient died of peritoneal metastasis in the open surgery group during a median follow-up period of 23 (2-63) months. Conclusions: Laparoscopy-assisted radical gastrectomy is safe and effective for EGC, and it has the advantages of minimally invasive, less operative time, quick recovery of postoperative gastrointestinal function and short postoperative hospital stay compared with open radical gastrectomy.