Between 1977 and 1991, 12 patients (11 males and 1 female; median age of 62.7 years) with gastric stump cancer were observed. All patients were previously operated for benign gastric (4) or duodenal (8) ulcer disease. Median duration interval between first operation and the diagnosis of gastric carcinoma was 22.0 years (range 7-39 years). Only in 5 patients total gastrectomy was carried out. Two out of these 5 patients are still alive at 2 and 24 months after surgery, while the median survival of remaining patients was about 9 months. The usefulness of close follow-up and digestive endoscopy in peptic ulcer patients who had surgical treatment is considered in order to detect an early gastric stump cancer.