Objective To study the effects of endoscopic submucosal dissection(ESD) on long-term quality of life (QOL) and gastric function of patients with distal early gastric cancer (EGC), compared with those of surgery. Methods Patients with EGC who received ESD or surgical resection in Peking Union Medical College Hospital over 1 year ago were selected to be followed up. QLQ-C30, SF-36, EQ-5D and dyspeptic symptom rating scale were used to evaluate QOL. Five-hour gastric emptying rate was used to evaluate distal gastric function. Electronic gastroscopy was used to observe whether the anastomotic stoma was stenotic. According to the age at resection, 1 to 1 matching was performed between the distal 1/3 gastric ESD (EP) group and the distal subtotal gastrectomy (SP) group, and then the QOL and gastric function between the two groups were compared. Results Twenty-five patients were included in group EP and group SP respectively. According to QLQ-C30, the scores of cognitive function were 83.3 (83.3, 83.3) in group EP and 83.3 (83.3, 100.0) in group SP (P=0.056). The proportion of patients with symptoms (fatigue, nausea and vomiting, pain, dyspnea, insomnia, appetite loss, constipation, diarrhea and financial difficulties) between the two groups were not statistically different. There was no statistical difference in the scores of EQ-5D and SF-36 between the two groups. According to dyspeptic symptom rating scale, 56.0% patients in group EPhad burning sensation, but only 28.0% in group SP had this symptom (P=0.054). 20.0% of patients in group SPreported nausea, while only 4.0% in group EP had this symptom (P=0.084). Gastric emptying results showed that the proportion of patients with abnormal 5-hour gastric emptying rate was 31.8% in group EP, while there was no abnormal emptying in group SP (P=0.003). Gastroscopy results showed that one patient in group EP had pyloric stenosis, but 5-hour gastric emptying rate was normal. All anastomotic stomas in group Sp were unobstructed. Conclusion ESD and surgical resection for distal EGC show similar long-term effects on QOL of patients. But the long-term gastric emptying function may decrease after distal gastric ESD.