The specimens were from 110 patients with primary hepatic carcinoma. The formalin- fixed and paraffin-embedded sections were stained for HBxAg by ABC method and for Bag and Hubcap by PAP method. Of the 110 cases, 64 (58.2%) showed HBxAg-positive reaction in tumor tissue, and 63 (78.8%) of 80 cases displayed positive HBxAg in surrounding non-cancerous hepatic tissue. Among the 64 cases with positive HBxAg in tumor tissue, 15 (23.4%) were associated with Bag and/or Hubcap, while in the 63 cases with positive HBxAg in non-tumor tissue, 45(71.4%) were accompanied with Bag arid /or Hubcap. These findings suggest a close relationship between primay hepatic carcinoma and HBV infection. The high detection rate of HBxAg indicates a very active expression of the integrated HBV- DNA genome in the host cells. However, the action of HBxAg in pathogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma remains to be further investigated.