Objective: To investigate the influence of resection scope on the prognosis of cancer in the gastric body. Methods: The clinical and follow-up data of 157 patients with cancer in the gastric body undergoing radical surgery from April 2003 to April 2008 were retrospectively analyzed. Of the patients, 104 cases were subjected to total gastrectomy (total gastrectomy group), and 53 cases received distal subtotal gastrectomy (distal gastrectomy group). The 5-year survival rate of the two groups was compared, and the independent prognostic factors for cancer in the gastric body were analyzed. Results: The 5-year survival rate in the entire group of patients was 37.6%, which in total gastrectomy group and distal gastrectomy group was 24.0% and 64.2% respectively, and the former was significantly lower than the latter (χ2=10.635, P=0.001); to balance the difference in preoperative baseline characteristics between the two groups, comparison after stratification by TNM stage showed that the survival rate in distal gastrectomy group was higher than that in total gastrectomy among patients with low TNM stage (P<0.05), but had no significant difference between the two groups among patients with high TNM stage (P>0.05). The results of the Cox regression model analysis identified that the TNM stage (HR=1.270, 95% CI=1.093–2.344) , degree of tumor differentiation (HR=1.764, 95% CI=1.372–2.746)were independent prognostic factors for cancer in the gastric body (both P<0.05), while scope of resection (HR=0.547, 95% CI=0.320–1.076) was not an independent prognostic factor (P>0.05). Conclusion: The scope of resection is not the independent influential factor in the prognosis of cancer of the gastric body, and distal subtotal gastrectomy is a more appropriate procedure to use based on the premise of ensuring a radical resection.