In the present study, in a large sample of the Han population in northern China, we used formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues (FFPETs)-derived DNA samples from patients and blood-derived DNA from controls in a matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) method to study the potential associations between seven SNPs (rs2071231, rs7125062, rs491152, rs470558, rs2075847, rs470206 and rs1144396) or haplotypes in MMP-1 and tumor susceptibility, clinicopathological parameters, and survival of gastric cancer. Here, MMP1 is linked to gastric cancer.