Objective To investigate the relationship between single nucleotide polymorphisms of tumor-associated candidate genes and survival of patients with gastric cancer undergoing chemotherapy with capecitabine and paclitaxel. Methods Ninety-three patients pathologically confirmed of gastric cancer were selected, and received chemotherapy with capecitabine and paclitaxel. Genotypes of protooncogene TP53 rs1042522 (G/C), metabolism-associated gene GSTP1 rs1695(A/G) and CYP11B2 rs1799998 (T/C), DNA repair-associated gene XRCC1 rs1799782 (C/T) and ERCC2 rs1799793 (G/A) were determined by TaqMan-MGB methods. The median survival time (MST) after chemotherapy was compared among patients with different genotypes, and influencing factors for prognosis were analysed. Results The median time of follow-up was 29.6 months, and MST was 34.93 months. TP53 rs1042522 (G/C) genotype was related to MST after chemotherapy, and patients with TP53 rs1042522 G/G genotype were borderline significantly higher than those with TP53 rs1042522 G/C+C/C genotype in MST (51.2 months vs 26.6 months, P=0.073). There was no significant correlation between the other gene polymorphisms and MST (P>0.05). Cox regression analysis revealed that gender, operation status and pathological staging were the main influencing factors for the prognosis of gastric cancer after chemotherapy. Conclusion Polymorphisms of TP53 (rs1042522 G/C) are marginally significantly associated with prognosis in patients with gastric cancer after chemotherapy with capecitabine and paclitaxel.