[The present situation and future development for laparoscopic surgery for gastric cancer in China]

Laparoscopy assisted gastrectomy is one of the main directions of minimally invasive surgery for gastric cancer in China. Since 1999, the first laparoscopy assisted gastrectomy was reported, the hospitals which performed laparoscopy assisted gastrectomy and the reported cases have been increasing. The surgical technique are more and more experienced and acquire satisfied clinical results. However, there is still lack of standard and insufficient evidence in the treatment of gastric cancer by laparoscopy assisted gastrectomy. The robotic gastrectomy is still not operated in the most hospitals in China. So we should promote the standardization of laparoscopic gastric cancer surgery, strengthen the evidence based medicine research, and actively carry out the robotic operation of gastric cancer to enhance the level of minimally invasion surgery for gastric cancer in China.