BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to clarify the clinicopathologic features of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients with compensated cirrhosis surviving more than 10 years after initial hepatectomy. METHODS Among 250 patients who underwent hepatectomy for HCC between 1987 and 1994 at our institute, 145 patients who had Child-Pugh class A liver function and who underwent curative resection were included in this study. Clinicopathologic factors in 10-year survivors and patients who died within 10 years (nonsurvivors) were compared, and the prognostic factors affecting survival were identified. RESULTS There were 29 patients who survived for more than 10 years after initial hepatectomy, and 9 of those patients survived without cancer recurrence. The 3-, 5-, and 10-year survival rates were 76.2%, 53.0%, and 26.9% respectively. The corresponding disease-free survival rates were 43.1%, 25.7%, and 9.9% respectively. In multivariate analysis, liver fibrosis grade F0-2, female gender, ICG-R15 value of less than 15%, and absence of microscopic vascular invasion were favorable independent factors associated with 10-year survival. Disease-free interval after initial hepatectomy in 10-year survivors with recurrence was significantly longer than that in nonsurvivors with recurrence, 5.1 and 1.9 years respectively (P = 0.0004). The number of intrahepatic recurrent nodules in 10-year survivors tended to be fewer than that in nonsurvivors. CONCLUSIONS Based on the results of our study, liver fibrosis grade F0-2, female gender, ICG-R15 value of less than 15% and absence of microscopic vascular invasion at initial hepatectomy might be biologically favorable conditions for long-term survival. Close follow-up as well as multimodal treatment could contribute to prolongation of survival in such patients, even if HCC recurrence develops.