Objective To understand the role and mechanism of tumor associated macrophages (TAM) on the occurrence and development of primary liver cancer, and its application in the treatment. MethodThe related literatures about the researches of relation between TAM and primary liver cancer at home and abroad in recent years were collected, sorted out, and made a review. Results Under different stimulating factors, TAM could be polarized to anti-tumor type 1 TAMs or tumor-promoting type 2 TAMs, and type 2 TAMs was the main part in the tumor microenvironment. Through some mechanisms such as vascularity-promoting, invasion-promoting, and immunosuppression to promote the occurrence and development of tumors, and potential treatment plans for primary liver cancer could be found by targeting TAM from different perspectives. Conclusion TAM has a wide range of effects on primary liver cancer, and their mechanisms are complex, understanding the relation between them and make an effective control of TAM could provide new therapeutic ideas and plans for clinical treatment of primary liver cancer.