The multidisciplinary management of gastric cancer remains a major challenge to the healthcare system as early diagnosis and timely surgical treatment are crucial for reducing the mortality rate. Gastric cancer is the fifth most common type of cancer and the third cause of cancer deaths worldwide. Currently, gastrectomy with lymphadenectomy is the most important and the only potentially effective form of treatment, while chemotherapy and radiotherapy are used as adjunct methods. The range of stomach resection and lymphadenectomy depends on the histological type of cancer and the local progression of the disease. An operation is performed using a laparoscopic method with 4 or 5 trocars, or using a classical method. In both cases, the continuity of the alimentary tract is restored using Roux en Y, whereas the Bilroth I method is less common, and the Bilroth II method is used only in some cases. With the increase in experience and improvement in equipment quality, the number of laparoscopic gastrectomies performed for gastric cancer has increased significantly. Therefore, there has been an increasing focus on this method as being less invasive compared to open gastrectomy. Moreover, the oncological safety of the laparoscopic approach has been confirmed and this method has also been shown to be associated with lower risk of complications during and following surgery, especially in older patients and individuals who are at greater risk of negative outcomes. It should be stressed that the use of the classical method, which remains a standard of treatment in many countries, is justified in patients with advanced cancer.

Key words: stomach neoplasms, general surgery, review.