Abstract: Objective: To explore the correlation between expression of RECK, MMP- 14 and tumor invasion, metastasis and prognosis in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods: Reverse transcription polymerase chain reactions (RT- PCR) was employed to determine the mRNA expression of RECK and MMP- 14 in cancerous and paraneoplastic liver tissues of 61 cases with HCC and normal liver tissues of 18 cases. The relationship between expression of the genes mRNA in HCC tissues and related clinical parameters was analyzed. Results: The expression level of the RECK mRNA was markedly lower in the HCC tissue than in the paraneoplastic liver tissues and normal liver tissue (P<0.01), but there was no significant difference in expression level of the RECK mRNA between the paraneoplastic and the normal liver tissues (P>0.05). The expression level of MMP- 14 mRNA in the HCC tissue was markedly higher than that in the paraneoplastic liver tissue and normal liver tissue (P<0.01).The expression level of MMP- 14 mRNA was significantly higher in the paraneoplastic liver tissue than in the normal tissue (P<0.01). There was a negative correlation between RECK mRNA and MMP- 14 mRNA expressions in HCC tissues (P=0.027). There was no correlation between RECK mRNA and MMP- 14 mRNA expressions, no matter in the paraneoplastic liver tissue or in the normal liver tissue.The expression of RECK mRNA in the HCC tissue was evidently correlated with the clinical stage, the pylic cancer embolus, extrahepatic metastasis and postoperative tumor recurrence, but not correlated with the diameter, number, level of the serous alpha- fetoprotein (AFP), differentiation of tumor and condition of the paraneoplastic liver cirrhosis. The expression of MMP- 14 mRNA in the HCC tissue was significantly correlated with the clinical stage, pylic cancer embolus, extrahepatic metastasis, recurrence and diameter of the tumor, but not correlated with the number of tumor, level of the serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), the differentiation of tumor and condition of paraneoplastic liver cirrhosis. Conclusion: The mRNA expression of RECK and MMP- 14 are related to the invasion and metastasis of HCC.These results indicate that RECK and MMP- 14 might play important roles in the pathogenesis of HCC.RECK and MMP- 14 could also be considered as the marker for predicting the metastasis and recur-rence of HCC.