Objective To investigate the therapeutic effect of argon-helium cryoablation combined with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) for primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and its influence on vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) level, and to compare it with simple TACE treatment. Methods During the period from Aug. 2013 to Aug. 2014 a total of 50 patients with primary HCC were admitted to Hunan Provincial People’s Hospital. The patients were randomly and equally divided into group A (TACE group, n=25) and group B (argon-helium cryoablation+TACE group, n=25). VEGF levels in the peripheral blood were determined before and after the treatment, and the results were statistically compared between the two groups. Results After the treatment the VEGF level in group A was significantly increased when compared with preoperative VEGF level (P<0.05). In group B, the VEGF level was decreased after the treatment, which was statistically significant lower than the preoperative VEGF level (P<0.05). The differences in VEGF level between the two groups were statistically significant (P<0.05). Conclusion The statistic analysis of VEGF levels indicates that argon-helium cryoablation combined with TACE is probably superior to simple TACE in the inhibition of tumor angiogenesis.