PURPOSE: To pr6edict the prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients who underwent transarte6rialchemoembolization(TACE). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study unvestigated the one- and two-year survival rates of 211patients who were divided into two groups : 74 operable Child's grade A or B cases, and 137 inoperable casesinvolving Child's grade C or poor prognostic factors such as metastasis, main portal thrombus, and total bilirubinabove 2.0mg/dl. Cumulative survival curves were obtained by the Kaplan-Meier method, beginning with the day of thefirst TACE. RESULTS: The one- and two-year cummulative survival rates were 80.8% and 47.9% for the 74 operablecases and 37.6% and 14.0% for the 137 inoperable cases, respectively(P<0.01). CONCLUSION: The prognosis of HCCpatients who underwent TACE can be predicted by classifying then into two groups, operable or inoperable cases.