Objective To study the significance of repeated washing in reducing the positive rate of intra-abdominal exfoliated cancer cells. Methods Sequential intraoperative peritoneal lavages were performed in each of the 160 patients with gastric cancer one time before tumor resection,three times after excision.Four sub-peritoneal washing fluid was assayed for cytology smears with routine pathology.The results were then compared. Results Exfoliated tumor cells were positive in the intraoperative peritoneal lavages of 56 patients before resention.Exfoliated tumor cells were positive in the first three intraoperative peritoneal lavages of 64 patients before resention,42 at the second,3 at the third.Tumor cells positive and forward setting lotion shed after the first time,with the number of detected cases increased but had no significant statistical significance.Compaving the positive result of the 3rd exfoliated cancer cells with the first 1,we found that the difference was statistically significant. Conclusion Sequential intraoperative peritoneal lavages is an useful method in reducing the positive rate of peritoneal exfoliated tumor cells in patients with gastric cancer.