Objective To explore the risk factors of liver metastasis from colorectal cancer. Methods The clinic data of 1341 patients with colorectal cancer who had been admitted to our department from January 1989 to December 2004 were analyzed retrospectively. Results The incidence of the liver metastasis from colorectal cancer was 11.56% (155/1341). Univariate analysis showed that sex, location and size of the primary tumor site, regional lymph node metastasis, infiltration depth of the bowel wall, involvement of the adjacent viscera, complications and peritoneal implantation were relevant to liver metastasis (X2=6.517, 10.208, 11.173, 42.160, 80.731,6.593, 3.887, 14.352, P < 0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that sex, regional lymph node metastasis, infiltration depth of the bowel wall, complications and primary tumor site were correlated with liver metastasis ( b = 0.655, -0.488, 1.355, -0.752, 0.273, P <0.05). Conclusions Male patients, patients with regional lymph node metastasis or with involvement of tissues out of the serosa have higher chance of liver metastasis from coloreetal cancer. Patients with colon cancer are apt to develop liver metastasis than those with rectal cancer. The incidence of liver metastasis in colorectal cancer patients complicated with other diseases is low.