Our results showed that five SNPs were significantly associated with NPC survival, including rs3740194 in CELF2 (HR = 0.69, 95%CI = 0.52–0.90; P = 0.007), rs11257025 in CELF2 (HR = 1.66, 95%CI = 1.18–2.33; P = 0.003), rs7094118 in CELF2 (HR = 1.41, 95%CI = 1.11–1.80; P = 0.005), rs7234088 in CELF4 (HR = 0.64, 95%CI = 0.43–0.95; P = 0.029) and rs1786814 in CELF4 (HR = 0.50, 95%CI = 0.29–0.84; P = 0.009), respectively. This evidence concerns the gene CELF2 and nasopharyngeal carcinoma.