Objective: To investigate the clinical efficacy of transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) therapy combined with autologous cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cells adoptive immunotherapy for primary hepatic carcinoma (HCC). Methods: Thirty-eight HCC patients were designated to observational group (20 cases undergoing TACE plus CIK cells treatment) and control group (18 cases undergoing TACE only). The quality of life (QOF), immunity function alterations, progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) between the two groups after operation were compared. Results: The improvement rate of QOL in observational group was significantly higher than that in control group after operation (P<0.05). Compared with the status before operation, the percentage of CD3+ and CD4+ cells and CD4+/CD8+ ratio were significantly increased while the percentage of CD8+ cells was significantly decreased after operation in observational group (all P<0.05), but these indices showed no obvious difference in control group (all P>0.05). The average PFS and OS in observational group was 12 and 34 months, and in control group was 7 and 13 months respectively, and the differences between the two groups had statistical significance (both P<0.05). Conclusion: The adjuvant CIK cells adoptive immunotherapy can increase the efficacy of TACE for HCC, and improve the patients’ QOL.