Objective To explore the relationship between hepatitis B virus (HBV) concentration and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) recurrence in HCC patients undergoing orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). Methods 148 HCC patients associated with HBV infection undergoing OLT were enrolled in the study.Survival analysis was performed using the Kaplan-Meier method.Cox multiple regression analysis was performed to determine the parameters predicting HCC recurrence. Results Survival rates at 1,3 and 5 years were 86%,72% and 72%,respectively,and disease-free survival rate were 79%,71% and 54%,respectively.In this series 43 patients suffered from HCC recurrence.The recurrence rate was 29.1%(43/148),with the mean recurrence time being (13.16 ± 14.17) months (1 ～ 54 months).Exceeding Milan criteria (HR = 9.89; 95% CI 2.30 ～ 42.52; P = 0.002) and pretransplant HBV DNA level ＞ 5log10copies/ml (HR = 2.26; 95% CI 1.01 ～ 5.04; P = 0.047) were significant independent predictors for posttransplant HCC recurrence. Conclusion High HBV DNA load before transplantation is statistically associated with recurrence of HCC after liver transplantation.