ObjectiveTo investigate the expressions and clinical significance of human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) mRNA and γglutamyl transpeptidase mRNA-H (GGT mRNA-H) in the peripheral blood of small hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. MethodsThe expressions of hTERT mRNA and GGT mRNA-H were detected in the peripheral blood of thirty patients with small HCC by RT-PCR, eighteen patients with benign liver diseases, and twelve normal volunteers. ResultsThe positive rate of hTERT mRNA and GGT mRNA-H expression in patients with small HCC were 80.0% (24/30) and 46.7%(14/30), respectively. In patients with hepatitic cirrhosis the positive rate of hTERT mRNA expression was 33.3% (6/18), while the expression of GGT mRNA was not detected. Both the expressions of hTERT mRNA and GGT mRNA-H were negative in all normal volunteers. The combination analysis of hTERT mRNA and GGT mRNA-H expression achieved positive rate of 86.7% in the diagnosis of small HCC, which was significantly higher than the positive rate of AFP (26.7%)， Plt;0.05. ConclusionThe hTERT mRNA and GGT mRNA-H are significantly expressed in small HCC patients, the combination analysis of hTERT mRNA and GGT mRNA-H seems to be useful in the early diagnosis of small HCC.