Gastric stump cancer (GSC) refers to a primary carcinoma arising from the gastric remnant more than 5 years after surgery for benign ulcer disease or more than 10 years after surgery for gastric cancer. Because of the atypical clinical presentations of the GSC patients at the early stage, most of them are found in advanced stage when seeking for treatment, which plus the particularity of this condition, result in a poor prognosis. The incidence of GSC has shown an increasing tendency over the years. For discussion of several issues concerning the diagnosis and treatment of GSC in recent years, the authors based on review of the relevant literature at home and abroad, address its pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, treatment methods, prognosis and prevention, and also propose that the postoperative follow-up after the first gastrectomy is particularly important, and early detection, early diagnosis and early treatment are essential for improving the survival rates and the quality of life of the patients.