Objective: To investigate the carcino-embryonic antigen (CEA) expression in colorectal cancer tissue and its relationship with liver metastasis. Methods: The CEA expressions in the tissues that included the primary lesion and liver metastases of liver metastatic colorectal cancer, and colorectal cancer without liver metastasis as well as normal colorectal mucosa were detected by immunohistochemical staining. The CEA positive expression rates and expression intensities among the above 4 types of tissues were compared. Results: The CEA positive expression rate in the primary lesion and liver metastases of liver metastatic colorectal cancer, colorectal cancer tissue without liver metastasis and normal colorectal tissue was 97.22%, 100%, 91.67% and 19.44% respectively, which were all significantly higher than that in the normal colorectal mucosa (19.44%) (all P<0.05). The CEA expression intensity in a significantly increased to decreased order was: liver metastases, primary lesion of liver metastatic colorectal cancer, colorectal cancer without liver metastasis and normal colorectal mucosa (all P<0.05). Conclusion: The CEA expression level in colorectal cancer tissue may closely be associated with liver metastasis, and high CEA expression of the colorectal cancer tissue may predict an increased risk of liver metastasis.