Objective This study aimed to explore the roles of three common single nucleotide polymorphisms in the X‐ray repair cross‐complementing group‐1 gene (XRCC1) and of life style factors and their possible interactions in the risk of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) in China.Methods A population‐based case‐control study of 432 cases and 915 controls was conducted in Yangzhong County,Jiangsu Province,China.Subjects were interviewed by trained interviewers using a structured questionnaire that included questions on demographics and life style.XRCC1 genotypes were analyzed using a polymerase chain reaction based restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR‐RFLP) assay.Unconditional logistic regression analysis was used to calculate adjusted odds ratios (aORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for associations of ESCC with XRCC1 polymorphisms and lifestyle‐related factors.Results Both the drinking of river water and alcohol intake history were significantly associated with an increased risk of ESCC among men with aORs of 4.20 (95% CI:2.90‐6.07) and 2.03 (95% CI:1.43‐2.89),respectively.For women,the corresponding odds ratios were 8.37 (95% CI:5.09‐13.75) for river water drinking and 12.78 (95% CI:2.69‐60.69) for long‐term stored rice intake.After the XRCC1 G28152A polymorphism was adjusted for potential confounders,subjects with GA and AA genotypes had an increased risk for ESCC (aOR:1.21,95% CI:0.93‐1.56),compared with subjects with a GG genotype,and a positive multiplicative interaction between intake of long‐term stored rice and the XRCC1 G28152A polymorphism was observed (P=0.009).Conclusions Our findings suggest that both lifestyle‐related factors,including drinking river water,long‐term stored rice and alcohol intake,and the XRCC1 G28152A polymorphism were possible risk factors for ESCC,and that the XRCC1 G28152A polymorphism modified the effect of long‐term stored rice intake on the risk of ESCC among Chinese people. Objective This study aimed to explore the roles of three common single nucleotide polymorphisms in the X-ray repair cross-complementing group-1 gene (XRCC1) and of life style factors and their possible interactions in the risk of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) in China. Methods A population-based case-control study of 432 cases and 915 controls was conducted in Yangzhong County, Jiangsu Province, China. Subjects were interviewed by trained interviewers using a structured questionnaire that included questions on demographics and life style. XRCC1 genotypes were analyzed using a polymerase chain reaction based restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) assay. Unconditional logistic regression analysis was used to calculate adjusted odds ratios (aORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for associations of ESCC with XRCC1 polymorphisms and lifestyle -related factors.Results Both the drinking of river water and alcohol intake history were significantly associated with 95% CI: 2.90-6.07) and 2.03 (95% CI: 1.43-2.89), respectively. For women, the corresponding odds ratios were 8.37 (95% CI: 5.09 -13.75) for river water drinking and 12.78 (95% CI: 2.69-60.69) for long-term stored rice intake. After the XRCC1 G28152A polymorphism was adjusted for potential confounders, subjects with GA and AA genotypes had an increased risk for ESCC ( aOR: 1.21, 95% CI: 0.93-1.56), compared with subjects with a GG genotype, and a positive multiplicative interaction between intake of long-term stored rice and the XRCC1 G28152A polymorphism was observed (P = 0.009) .Conclusions Our findings suggest that both lifestyle-related factors, including drinking river water, long-term stored rice and alcohol intake, and the XRCC1 G28152A polymorphism were possible risk factors for ESCC, and that the XRCC1 G28152A polymorphism modified the effect of long-term stored rice intake on the risk of ESCC among Chinese people.