Objective To summarize the research progress of gastrointestinal stem cells and its role in gastric neoplasms. Methods The literatures related effect of gastrointestinal stem cells niche， gastrointestinal stem cells markers，and the cancer stem cell theory in the gastric neoplasms were retrieved through PubMed， the research progress of gastrointestinal stem cells and cancer stem cells in the gastric neoplasms was explored. Results The cancer stem cell theory arose a decade ago. Gastrointestinal stem cells played a very important role in the gastric neoplasms， which had specific markers and their niches included many kinds of tissue factors. Inflammation could induce gastrointestinal stem cells dysplasia and become cancer stem cells， which promoted the growth， invasion， and metastasis of the gastric neoplasms. Conclusions Gastric cancer stem cells could be one of an effective target in treatment for gastric neoplasms， and it may be provide a new breakthrough in treatment for gastric neoplasms.