Comparison of genotype distributions for rs8173 (AURKA) showed that patients with GG genotype (OR = 0.38, 95% CI = 0.18–0.79, P = 0.010), and CG genotype (OR = 0.60, 95% CI = 0.36–0.99, P = 0.049) had decreased risk of gastric cancer. Here, AURKA is linked to gastric cancer.