Objective: To investigate the influential factors for recovery of liver function from hepatectomy for liver cancer and then to establish a risk prediction model. Methods: The relevant clinical data of 50 patients with liver cancer undergoing hemihepatectomy from February 2015 to September 2016 were retrospectively analyzed. The factors affecting postoperative liver function recovery of liver cancer patients were identified by univariate and multivariate analyses, and then, all the obtained factors and their statistical values were used to create the risk prediction model. Results: The preoperative 15-minute retention of indocyanine green (ICG R15), residual liver volume/standard remnant liver volume (RLV/SLV) and clearance index (HH15) are independent risk factors for recovery of liver function from hemihepatectomy (P=0.002. P<0.001 and P=0.007). The obtained risk prediction model was presented as follows: risk coefficient (R)=31.871×(RLV/SLV)–1.689×(ICG R15)–19.663×HH15. At the cut off value of R=0.90, the area under the ROC curve of this model for predicting postoperative liver dysfunction was 0.96, with the sensitivity and specificity of 97.5% and 90%, respectively. Conclusion: Lower RLV/SLV or higher ICGl5R and HH15 are risk factors for postoperative liver dysfunction in patients after hepatectomy for liver cancer, and the established prediction model may have certain value for risk assessment.