Liver cancer is the fifth most common tumor in the world and ranks third among cancer-related causes of death. The number of people who die from liver cancer exceeds 500,000 cases each year. More than 600,000 liver cancers occur annually in China. In the past 20 years or so, the diagnosis and treatment of liver cancer have been significantly improved, but it still has the clinical characteristics of difficult early diagnosis, rapid development, high malignancy and poor prognosis. Surgical resection has been considered as the only possible cure for liver cancer, but 70%-80% of patients are already in the middle and late stages when diagnosed with liver cancer and have no time for surgical resection. For patients with hepatocellular carcinoma that cannot be surgically resected, non-surgical treatment techniques developed in recent years can slow down or even control tumor growth, prolong survival and improve life quality. The current situation and progress of non-surgical treatment for liver cancer are briefly described.