ABSTRACT: Reduction in DNA repair capacity is associated with increased rates of birth defects, cancer, and accelerated aging. According to some earlier studies, genetic polymorphisms in DNA repair genes might influence the repair activities of the enzymes predisposing individuals to cancer risk. Owing to the presence of these genetic variants, inter-individual and ethnic differences in DNA repair capacity have been observed in various populations. Polymorphisms in DNA repair genes and differences in repair capacity between individuals have been widely reported in different cancers. We conducted a case-control study to examine the role of genetic polymorphisms in XRCC1 Gln632Gln (rs3547), Arg399Gln (rs25487), Arg280His (rs25489), Arg194Trp (rs1799782) in the risk of laryngeal cancer in different ethnic groups in Xinjiang. This study included 58 laryngeal cancer patients and 120 healthy controls age- and sex-matched without cancer. The genotypes of XRCC1Gln632Gln (rs3547), Arg399Gln (rs25487), Arg280His (rs25489) and Arg194Trp (rs1799782) were analyzed by PCR-RFLP, and the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated using an unconditional logistic regression model. C/T (hybrid) and T/T (mutant) genotypes of XRCC1 Arg280His (rs25489) revealed no statistical significance in the risk of laryngeal cancer (P>0.05), whereas the genotypes of XRCC1 Gln632Gln (rs3547), Arg399Gln (rs25487), Arg280His (rs25489), Arg194Trp (rs1799782) showed a higher risk than the controls (P<0.01) in Han, Uygur, and Kazak nations. In conclusion, the current study suggests that XRCC1 Gln632Gln (rs3547), Arg399Gln (rs25487), and Arg194Trp (rs1799782) polymorphisms may be associated with laryngeal cancer risk in the Han, Uygur, and Kazakh populations in Xinjiang. Individuals carrying genotype Arg/Gln+Gln/Gln showed a greater risk than those carrying Arg/Arg for laryngeal cancer in the Han, Uygur and Kazakh ethnic groups, and the odds ratios are 1.47, 1.32, and 0.77.