To study the distribution of IL-10 and TNF gene polymorphisms in patients with gastroduodenal diseases in Hubei Han ethnic and their association with Helicobacter pylori (Hp) infection.Six hundred and five patients with gastroduodenal diseases (196 chronic gastritis, 189 gastroduodenal ulcer and 220 gastric cancer) as well as 624 healthy controls were genotyped with PCR-RFLP method for IL-10-1082,-819,-592 and TNFalpha-308, lymphotoxin-alpha (LTalpha) Nco I and AspH I gene polymorphisms. Hp infection status was determined with ELISA.(1) There was significant difference of IL-10-1082 AG + GG genotype among the gastric cancer group with the non-malignant gastric diseases groups and healthy control group (P 0.05). The genotype frequencies of IL-10-819 were the same as those of IL-10-592. (2) Frequency of IL-10-1082 AG + GG genotype in gastric cancer patients with positive Hp was significantly higher than that in the other three groups (P < 0.05). (3) Frequency of LTalpha Nco I AG genotype in gastric cancer patients with Hp infection was significantly higher than that in Hp positive healthy controls (P < 0.05). There were no other associations between TNFalpha-308, LTalpha Nco I and AspH I gene polymorphisms and Hp infection in gastroduodenal diseases.(1) Allele AG + GG of IL-10-1082 was associated with gastric cancer in Han nationality of Hubei province. (2) IL-10-1082 AG + GG, LTalpha Nco I AG heterozygous genotype may be associated with Hp infection in patients with gastric cancer in Han nationality of Hubei province.