Purpose:　To　evaluate　the　efficacy　of　transarterial　chemoembolization　(TACE)　combined　with　radiofrequency　ablation　(RFA)　for　both　primary　and　recurrent　early-stage　hepatocellular　carcinoma　(HCC)　and　to　analyze　the　significant　prognostic　factors.　Patients　and　Methods:　Data　from　patients　with　early-stage　primary　or　recurrent　HCC　who　underwent　TACE　plus　RFA　between　August　2019　and　May　2024　were　collected　from　three　major　general　hospitals.　158　patients　were　divided　into　a　primary　group　and　a　recurrent　group　on　the　basis　of　their　baseline　characteristics.　Compared　the　objective　response　rate　(ORR),　1-,　3-,　and　5-year　progression-free　survival　(PFS)　rates,　1-,　3-,　and　5-year　overall　survival　(OS)　rates,　and　complication　rate　between　the　two　groups.　Multivariate　analyses　were　used　to　evaluate　the　factors　influencing　PFS　and　OS.　Results:　One　hundred　fifty-eight　patients　were　enrolled.　The　ORRs　of　the　primary　and　recurrent　groups　were　98.2%　and　95.1%,　respectively,　with　no　statistically　significant　difference　(chi(2)=　2.032,　Rho　=　0.362).　The　primary　group　having　a　significantly　longer　PFS　time　than　the　recurrent　group　(Rho　＜　0.001).　However,　there　was　no　significant　difference　in　the　1-,　3-,　and　5-year　OS　rates　between　the　two　groups　(Rho　=　0.218).　Multivariate　analysis　revealed　that　primary　or　recurrent　HCC　and　the　Child-Pugh　score　were　significant　prognostic　factors　for　PFS,　whereas　the　serum　albumin　level　was　a　significant　prognostic　factor　for　OS.　Conclusion:　TACE　plus　RFA　has　similar　clinical　efficacy　and　safety　for　both　primary　and　recurrent　early　HCC.　Compared　with　patients　with　primary　HCC,　those　with　recurrent　disease　had　significantly　shorter　PFS　times.