In order to identify the prognostic factors of the resection of hepatocellular carcinoma, the results of 153 resections performed between January 1984 and December 1988 in 18 French centers were analysed. Cirrhosis was present in 76% of the patients. Among the postoperative complications (61%), the most frequent were ascites (35.3%) and liver failure (19%). Operative mortality was 20%. One-, 3- and 5-year survival rates were 52.7, 30.1, and 17.9%, respectively. The survival rate was significantly higher in patients with a curative resection, Pugh's class A or with a tumor less than 3 centimeters in diameter. After curative resection, actuarial survival rates without recurrence were 65, 24.4, and 16.7% after, 1, 3, and 4 years respectively. In this case, the survival rate was significantly related to the number of resected nodules and the size of the tumor but not to the presence of a capsule surrounding the tumor.