The global incidence and mortality rates of gastric cancer remain high. China bears a significantly higher disease burden from gastric cancer than the global average，with its mortality ranking third among all malignant tumors in the country. Alpha - fetoprotein-producing gastric cancer（AFPGC）is a special subtype of gastric cancer characterized by abnormally elevated serum alpha- fetoprotein（AFP）levels or positive AFP expression in tumor tissues detected by immunohistochemistry. The incidence of AFPGC in China accounts for approximately 2.3% - 4.6% of gastric cancer cases. Compared with conventional gastric cancer，AFPGC is more prone to distant metastasis，particularly liver metastasis，and has a poorer prognosis. Currently，there are no standardized treatment guidelines for AFPGC，and its management primarily relies on conventional gastric cancer treatment strategies. Research is ongoing to explore the differences between the occurrence and development of this tumor and general gastric cancer，as well as the related clinical features and efficacy of therapy. This article mainly reviews the biological features，clinicopathological characteristics and current treatment explorations of AFPGC in domestic and foreign research.