Objective To study the expression of proapoptosis gene bax in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and its clinical significance.Methods The protein expression levels of bax were determined by immunohistochemistry with Envision system; bax mRNA was detected by in situ hybridizition. Results Using immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridizition method, bax protein was detectable in 47.50% of HCC and in 78.57% of cirrhosis (Ｐ＜0.05); there was significant relationship between bax expression and grades of differentiation, between bax expression and clinical stages, and between bax expression and AFP levels (Ｐ＜0.05, Ｐ＜0.01, respectively). However, they were no statistical difference between the male and female or the old and young patient (Ｐ＞0.05, respectively). The expression of bax mRNA by in situ hybridizition were corresponding to immunohistochemistry, and there were no statistical difference between them. Conclusion Proapoptotic gene bax participates partially apoptosis regulation in HCC, the expressions show some correlation with grades, clinical stages and levels of AFP.