From 1980 to 1987, radical gastrectomy plus R2 or R3 lymph node clearance was performed in 309 cases of gastric carcinoma of which 179 were with R2 and 130 with R3. The 1, 3, 5 years survival rate of R3 was statistically higher than that of R2. The 5 years survival rate of R2 was nearly the same as R3 in patients at stage I (I a, I b) and borrmann type I and II, While R3 yields better results than R2 at stage II and III a, it was even 25.5% higher by R3 than by R2 at II b and IV. R3 still benefits patients at stage II with serosa infiltration, R3 should also be performed in advanced cases with poorly biologic behavior, such as diffuse growth pattern; undifferentiated cancer and lymphatic cancerous embosis. The recovery time, complications and mortalities of patients with R2 or R3 were mainly related to the model of gastrectomy not to the extent of lymph node clearance.