The long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are defined as RNA molecules with a length of 200-100 000 nucleotides that lack protein-coding capacity. Growing evidence indicates that lncRNAs are closely associated with the pathogenesis and progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) as well as the outcomes of patients, through their participation in regulation of gene expression at transcriptional, post-transcriptional and epigenetic level, and thereby influence the processes of proliferation, apoptosis, angiogenesis, invasion, and metastasis of tumor cells. Some lncRNAs that are aberrantly expressed in HCC may potentially be used for diagnostic or prognostic markers of HCC. In this paper, the authors address the recent research progress of lncRNA in HCC.