Long-term prognosis after curative resection or local ablation therapy in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) remains unsatisfactory because of a high recurrence rate. The prognosis of these patients depends on the effectiveness of treatment for recurrent HCC. It is recommended that the treatment policy for recurrent HCC is based on the same criteria as that for primary HCC. Repeat hepatectomy is advisable for patients with less than 3 hepatocellular carcinomas who have good liver function(patients with non-cirrhotic livers or Child-Pugh class A cirrhosis).