As a common malignant tumor, the incidence and mortality rate of gastric cancer are still high in the world, among which the disease burden in China is significantly higher than the global average, and the mortality rate ranks third among malignant tumors in China. AFPGC is a special subtype of gastric cancer characterized by abnormally elevated serum AFP levels or positive AFP expression in tumor tissues detected by immunohistochemistry. The incidence of AFPGC in China accounts for approximately 2.3% to 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.