Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the commonest primary liver malignancy. Its incidence is increasing worldwide. Surgery, including transplantation resection, is currently the most effective treatment for HCC. However, recurrence rates are high and long-term survival is poor. Conventional cytotoxic chemotherapy has not provided clinical benefit or prolonged survival for patients with advanced HCC. Cisplatin (CDDP) is a key drug for the standard regimens of various cancers in the respiratory, digestive and genitourinary organs. Recently, several encouraging results have been shown in using CDDP in the treatment of advanced HCC patients. This review examines current knowledge regarding the chemotherapeutic potential of CDDP.