Objective To study the expressions of Livin, Caspase-3 and Bcl-2 in lung tissue of nonsmall cell lung cancer ( NSCLC) , and their relationship with the clinicopathological features and prognosis of NSCLC. Methods The expressions of Livin, Caspase-3 and Bcl-2 proteins were evaluated by immunohistochemical method in 87 NSCLC samples and 40 lung benign tissues. The relationship of their expressions with the clinicopathological features and prognosis of NSCLC were analyzed by Spearman’s Rank correlation and COX Regression. Results More NSCLC tissues showed expression of Livin than lung benign tissues( 72. 41% vs 0. 0% , P = 0. 000 ) , and the expression of Caspase-3 was significantly decreased ( 67. 82% vs 87. 5%, P lt; 0. 05 ) . The proteins of Livin, Caspase-3 and Bcl-2 were detected in the endochylema but none was detected in nucelus. There was no relationship between the expression of each of these proteins and the clinicopathological features of NSCLC such as histologic type, tumor differentiation,lymph node metastasis, TNM stage, the size of tumor, and tumor site. The expression of Livin was correlated with Caspase-3 and Bcl-2 expressions ( r1 = - 0. 260, P = 0. 015; r2 = 0. 351, P = 0. 001) . Livin, Caspase-3 and Bcl-2 were not independent prognostic factors of NSCLC. Conclusions The expression of Livin and Bcl-2 are up-regulated in NSCLC. The expression of Livin is positively correlated with that of Caspase-3 and Bcl-2, they might interact with each other in the carcinogenesis and development of NSCLC. The levels of Livin, BCl-2 and Caspase-3 proteins are not independent factors affecting the prognosis of lung cancer patients.