Abstract: Gastric cancer is one of the most common types of cancer worldwide. In China, approximately 42% of new cancer cases are documented. However, the prognosis of advanced gastric cancer remains poor because of high recurrence and metastatic rates. In gastric cancer patients with peritoneal metastasis, malignant bowel obstruction (MBO) is often detected. Many of these patients endure excruciating pain because of ineffective diagnosis and treatment. In recent years, the symptoms of many patients with MBO have been effectively relieved after somatostatin and other drugs have been administered. Other patients with MBO have been provided the chance to undergo chemotherapy, and their survival time has been prolonged. Hence, the diagnosis and treatment of these patients could be improved by further advancements in basic and clinical research in cancer therapy.