ObjectiveTo investigate the relationship between topical reactive lymphoid hyperplasia and postoperative recurrence and survival of gastric cancer patients. MethodsThe clinical and pathological data of gastric cancer patients who underwent D2 radical gastrectomy from January 2007 to July 2009 were retrospectively analyzed. Based on the number of reactive lymph nodes, cases were divided in to topical reactive lymphoid hyperplasia group (RLH, n=18) and non-RLH group (n=43) by using a median method. The postoperative disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) rates of patients in different groups were compared using Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test, respectively. ResultsThere were no significant difference between the two groups in age, gender, pathological stage, surgical approach, extent of surgery or methods of postoperative chemotherapy (P > 0.05). The median disease-free survival time was 50 months in RLH group, and the median disease-free survival time was 39 months in non-RLH group. DFS of patients in RLH group was significant higher than non-RLH group (66.7% vs. 34.9%, P=0.048). The median survival time was 53.6 months and 52.3 months, respectively, in RLH group and non-RLH group. No difference was found in OS between the two groups (72.2% vs. 60.5%, P=0.338). ConclusionTopical reactive lymphoid hyperplasia reactive the immunity of gastric cancer patients and contact postoperative DFS rate.