Objective   To investigate whether the expressions of thy-1 and c-kit in liver cancer could predict the incidence and development of liver cancer.    Methods   Immunohistochemistry was carried out to detect the expressions and locations of thy-1 and c-kit in 50 liver cancer samples (19 samples of well differentiation and 31 samples of moderate/poor differentiation) and peri-tmorous normal tissues

and the results were analyzed with tumor differentiation degree. ELISA was employed to measure the c-kit and thy-1 levels in the serum samples of 53 patients with identified primary liver cancer. The results was also analyzed.    Results   Positive staining of thy-1 and c-kit were mainly in the cytoplasm

and the staining intensity was increasing from peri-tumourous normal tissue to well-differentiated and then to poorly differentiated hepatocarcinoma. Higher expressions of thy-1 and c-kit were found in liver cancer samples than in peri-tumorous normal tissues

with significant difference (Chi square=17.761

27.656

P=0.000). Their expressions were correlated with tumor differentiation

and higher in well-differentiated liver cancer than in poorly differentiated (Chi square=20.592

8.239

P=0.000

0.041). The expression of thy-1 had a positive relationship with that of c-kit in liver cancer tissue (r=0.333

P=0.018). In the 42 liver cancer tissues with co-expression of thy-1 and c-kit

there was 15 of well differentiation and 27 of poor differentiation (Chi square=10.258

P=0.023). ELISA also showed that a positive relationship was found in the serum expressions of thy-1 and c-kit (r=0.443

P=0.001).    Conclusion   Our results show that the co-expression of thy-1 and c-kit might be used as marker for development and prognosis of liver cancer.