After confirming significant UCA1 upregulation in 41 HCC tissues in comparison with adjacent tissues and a positive correlation of UCA1 overexpression with advanced stages of HCC, UCA1 was knocked down in HCC cell lines Huh-7, Hep3B, HepG2 and SMMC7721, resulting in inhibition of cell growth and induction of apoptosis. This evidence concerns the gene UCA1 and hepatocellular carcinoma.