Objective To compare the long-term efficacy between laparoscopic liver resection and open liver resection to treat small hepatocellular carcinoma.Methods The clinical data of 52 patients with small hepatocellular carcinoma treated from August 2011 to November 2012 were reviewed.Twenty patients underwent laparoscopic liver resection (the laparoscopic group),while the remaining 32 patients underwent open liver resection (the laparotomy group).The preoperative,postoperative and overall survival data between the two groups were compared.Results The data between the two groups before surgery were comparable (all P ＞ 0.05).The differences in tumor size and pathologic type between the two groups did not reach statistical significance (t =1.087,x2 =0.738,all P ＞ 0.05).However,the length of hospital stay in the laparoscopic group was significantly shorter than in the laparotomy group (t =3.363,P ＜ 0.05).Post-procedural complications occurred in no patients in the laparoscopic group,but in 8 patients in the laparotomy group (x2 =5.909,P ＜ 0.05).The cumulative survival rates in the two groups were not statistically signifi cant (P ＞ 0.05),but the recurrence-free survival of the laparoscopic group was significantly longer than the laparotomy group (P ＜ 0.05).The postoperative 1-year disease-free survival was not significantly different (P ＞ 0.05),though the 3-and 5-year recurrence-free survival rates were significantly different (all P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion The long-term overall survival rate of laparoscopic treatment for small liver cancer was similar to open operation,but the recurrence free survival rate was greatly improved.