Objective：To compare the short-term efficacy between laparoscopy-assisted D2 radical gastrectomy and conventional open surgery for early distal gastric cancer and to explore the value of laparoscopy-assisted D2 radical gastrectomy. Methods：Sixty patients with distal gastric cancer from December 2008 to March 2012 were enrolled；30 patients received laparoscopy-assisted surgery were taken as observation group while 30 patients underwent conventional open surgery as control group. Length of incision，operation time，intraoperative blood loss，the first anal exhausting time，numbers of dissected lymph node，postoperative complications，postoperative hospital duration were observed and compared. Results：Observation group vs. control group: length of incision（5.98±1.56） cm vs.（13.02 ±2.15） cm（P=0.000）；operation time （189.02±13.78） min vs. （150.58±15.31） min（P=0.000）；intraoperative blood loss （100.89±23.03） ml vs. （156.36 ±30.37） ml （P=0.000）；the first anal exhausting time（3.67±1.56） d vs. （5.04±2.08） d（P=0.005）；numbers of dissected lymph node （18.87±5.03） vs. （17.03±3.67）（P=0.011）；postoperative hospital duration（10.58±3.17） d vs. （13.59±4.36） d（P=0.003）. Differences between groups were all of statistical significances. Conclusions：Laparoscopic-assisted D2 radical gastrectomy has more advantages than coventional open surgery in the treatment of distal gastric cancer.