Abstract: Objective To explore the clinical significance of serum Golgi protein 73 (GP73) levels before and after transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) in patients with primary hepatocellular carcinoma (PHC), and discuss the role of GP73 in the curative effect evaluation and prognosis monitoring among the PHC patients undergoing TRAC. Methods The Enzyme-link immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to detect the serum levels of GP73 and AFP in 40 cases of HPC before TACE, D1 after TRAC and 4 to 6 weeks after TACE. Based on the result of TRAC, 40 patients were assigned into the improved group(28 cases) and progression group (12 cases). The relationship between the dynamic levels of GP73 and AFP and the curative effect and prognosis of the patients were analyzed. Results In the improved group, the serum GP73 level before TACE, on the first day and in four to six weeks after TACE were (0.390±0.161) IU/ml, (0.385±0.165) IU/ml and (0.187±0.125) IU/ml, respectively. The serum GP73 level on the first day after TRAC were not significantly improved(P>0.05), however, in the four to six weeks after TRAC it decreased significantly as compared with the preoperative levels (P<0.05). In the progression group, the serum GP73 level before TACE, on the first day after TACE and in the four to six weeks after TACE were (0.373±0.134) IU/ml, (0.372±0.130) IU/ml and (0.604±0.121) IU/ml, respectively. The serum GP73 level did not change significantly on the first day after TRAC(P>0.05), however, it elevated significantly in the four to six weeks after TACE (P<0.05). For the HPC patients with AFP level less than 400 ng/ml, the serum GP73 level in the four to six weeks after TACE significantly decreased in the improved group (P<0.05), but significantly increased in the progression group (P<0.05); however, the AFP level did not change significantly before and after TACE (P>0.05). Conclusion The serum GP73 could be taken as an effective indicator in monitoring the therapeutic effect of TACE in patients with PHC. The GP73 has more advantages than AFP in the monitoring the therapeutic effect of TACE while the serum AFP level is less than 400 ng/ml.