OBJECTIVES: This study is a retrospective, descriptive and observational evaluation aimed at defining the factors associated with postoperative mortality due to gastric adenocarcinoma and evaluating postoperative morbidity at the Edgardo Rebagliati Martins Hospital. METHODS: The study included 282 patients, which had undergone surgery between January 1, 1996 and December 31, 1999 and the evaluation involved filiation, background, tumor location, Bormann and Early Cancer classifications, histological classification, number of resected lymphatic nodes, extragastric compromise, type of surgery and reconstruction, TNM classification, clinical stage and medical and surgical complications. RESULTS: Patients were divided in two groups: Survivors (n=251) and deceased (n=31) evidencing 31.56% morbidity and 10.99% mortality.The factors associated with mortality were: age, hypertension (AHT), cardiopathy, tumor location in the stomach, extragastric compromise of the liver, T3 and T4 tumors, N1, distant metastases, clinical stage IV, pneumonia and other surgical complications. CONCLUSIONS: These results lead us to conclude that proper preoperative staging of the disease is necessary and so is special care with patients suffering of hypertension, diabetes and cardiopathy.Finally, we consider it pertinent to bear in mind the postoperative complications, for proper management of them.