ObjectiveTo observe the impact of antiviral therapy on prognosis in patients after curative resection for hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). MethodsThe data of 50 patients who had undergone liver resection for HBV-related HCC in our department from August 2008 to June 2012 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into two groups:21 patients who had not antiviral therapy (untreated group) and 29 patients who received antiviral therapy using nucleotide analogues (antiviral therapy group). ResultsAfter radical resection of HCC, the disease-free survival rate of 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year were 72.4%, 58.6%, and 31.0% in antiviral therapy group and 61.9%, 38.1%, and 14.3% in untreated group, respectively. The overall survival rate of 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year were 86.2%, 68.9%, and 55.2% in antiviral therapy group and 71.4%, 47.6%, and 28.6% in untreated group, respectively. The cumulative disease-free survival rate and overall survival rate of antiviral therapy group were significantly higher than those in the untreated group (P < 0.05). Univariate analysis revealed that the number of tumor, antiviral therapy, and TNM staging were risk factor for tumor-free survival rate, The tumor size, the number of tumor, antiviral therapy, and TNM staging were risk factor for overall survival rate. Multivariate analysis revealed that the number of tumor and TNM staging were independent risk factor for tumor-free survival rate (OR:2.95, 95% CI:1.502-6.114, P < 0.05; OR:4.12, 95% CI:1.972-8.960, P < 0.05), the antiviral therapy and TNM staging were independent risk factor for overall survival rate (OR:3.86, 95% CI:1.745-7.028, P < 0.05; OR:5.17, 95% CI:2.356-11.479, P < 0.05). ConclusionUsing nucleotide analogs antiviral therapy may improve the prognosis after resection of patients with HBV-related HCC.