Abstract: Objective: To investigate the expression of osteopontin (OPN) and MMP-9 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and to explore its correlation with metastasis and recurrence. Methods: Immunohistochemisty was employed to determine the expression of OPN and MMP-9 in 80 HCC tissues. Results: The positive rates of OPN and MMP-9 expression in HCC tissues were 72.5%(58/80) and 52.5%(42/80), respectively. The expression of OPN in HCC tissues was significantly correlated with portal vein tumor thrombus, tumor recurrence, the presence of extrahepatic metastasis, and the number of tumors; it was not correlated with the clinical stage, the diameter of the tumor, the level of serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), and the differentiation of tumor. The expression of MMP-9 in the HCC tissue was significantly correlated with the clinical stage, portal vein tumor thrombus, tumor recurrence, the presence of extrahepatic metastasis, the number of tumors and the differentiation of tumor, but it was not correlated with the diameter of the tumor or the level of serum alpha-fetoprotein(AFP). There was a significant positive correlation between OPN and MMP-9. Conclusion: Both OPN and MMP-9 are significantly related to the metastasis of HCC and overexpression of both OPN and MMP-9 has a predictive value for metastasis and recurrence.