The A/G polymorphism at nucleotide 313 in the glutathione S-transferase P1-1 (GSTP1) gene was examined in patients with different types of smoking-related cancers (oral, lung, gastric, colorectal and urothelial cancers) and healthy control individuals. This polymorphism results in an amino acid substitution from isoleucine to valine at residue 105, which reduces catalytic activity of the enzyme. In control individuals, 23.8% of individuals had GSTP1 AG or GG genotype. This rose to 37.3% [n = 83, odds ratio = 1.93 (1.05-3.58), P = 0.035] in oral cancer patients. No increase in the frequency of the GSTP1 AG or GG genotype was obtained in lung, gastric, colorectal or urothelial cancers in this Japanese population. After grouping by smoking status, no consistent difference was observed between smoking patients and corresponding control individuals for the frequency of the GSTP1 A/G polymorphism for any cancer. However, a moderate risk (odds ratio = 2.78; 95% confidence interval 1.06-7.51) was associated with this polymorphism in the non-smoking group of oral cancer patients. The results suggest the GSTP1 polymorphism at nucleotide 313 may be associated with susceptibility to oral squamous cell carcinoma in the Japanese population. Pharmacogenetics 9:165-169 (C) 1999 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.