Objective: To explore the association of SNPs at the 3'-UTR of apoptosis genes CASP3 and CASP7 with the risk of gastric cancer among Han Chinese in the northeastern region of China. Methods: In a case-control study of 1,000 patients with gastric cancer and 1,036 cancer-free controls with frequency matching on age and sex. We genotyped 4 potentially functional SNPs (rs1049253 T/C and rs1049216 T/C in CASP3, rs4353229 T/C and rs12247479 G/A in CASP7) by using Taqman assays and evaluated their associations with risk of gastric cancer by using logistic regression analyses. Results: Compared with the GG/ AG genotypes, the CASP7 rs12247479 AA genotype was associated with 0.560-fold decreased risk (P=0.036, 95% CI, 0.325~0.964) of gastric cancer, but no associations were found for the other 3 SNPs. After gastric cancer cases were stratified according to sex, age, smoking and drinking data, this risk was more evident in subgroups of nonsmokers, OR =0.506 (P<0.01, 95% CI, 0.407~0.629). Conclusion: Potentially functional SNP in the microRNA binding sites at the 3'-UTR of apoptosis genes CASP7 rs12247479 variants may contribute to risk of gastric cancer.