In this report, we describe a case control study in a Chinese population aimed at identifying possible associations between susceptibility to cervical cancer and single nucleotide polymorphisms in XRCC1 194C>T, XRCC1 280G>A, XRCC1 399G>A, ERCC2 751A>C, ERCC2 156C>A, ERCC1 118C>T, PARP1 762T>C, RAD51 135G>C and HER2 655A>G. The cases comprised 154 patients: 80 cervical squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs), 2 adenocarcinomas and 72 cervical intraepithelial neoplasias (CINs). A total of 177 healthy women were recruited as the controls. A significant association was found between ERCC1 118C>T and SCC in the additive genetic model [odds ratio (OR)=1.711; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.089-2.880; p=0.021] and the dominant genetic model (OR=1.947; 95% CI, 1.056-3.590; p=0.033). Among women with a smoking family member, ERCC1 118C>T increased SCC risk in the additive model (OR=2.800; 95% CI, 1.314-5.968; p=0.008). For women who had first intercourse before 22 years of age, XRCC1 280G>A was found to act as a protective factor for SCC under the additive model (OR=0.228; 95% CI, 0.058-0.900; p=0.035), while RAD51 135G>C was a risk factor for CIN (OR=4.246; 95% CI, 1.335-13.502; p=0.014). For women who had first intercourse after 22 years of age, the additive genetic model showed RAD51 135G>C (OR=0.359; 95% CI, 0.138-0.934; p=0.036) and HER2 655A>G (OR=0.309; 95% CI, 0.098-0.972; p=0.045) to be protective factors for SCC. XRCC1 399G>A increased CIN risk among women who first gave birth before the age of 22 in the additive genetic model (OR=4.459; 95% CI, 1.139-17.453; p=0.032). For those who first gave birth after age 22, ERCC1 118C>T was found to be a risk factor for SCC in the additive genetic model (OR=1.884; 95% CI, 1.088-3.264; p=0.024). A significant interaction was observed between RAD51 135G>C and age at first intercourse (p(interaction)=0.033 for SCC, p(interaction)=0.021 for CIN), as well with sexual partner number (p(interaction)=0.001 for SCC). The interaction between HER2 655A>G and age at first intercourse, ERCC2 156C>A and family smoking status and XRCC1 280G>A and alcohol consumption were significant, with p(interaction)=0.023 for SCC, p(interaction)=0.021 for CIN and p(interaction)=0.025 for SCC, respectively.