Human RAD17, a human homolog of the Schizosaccharomyces pombe cell cycle checkpoint gene RAD17, plays a significant role in activating checkpoint signals in response to DNA damage. We evaluated the association of hRAD17 Leu546Arg (rs1045051), a missense single nucleotide polymorphism, with the risk of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma in relation to smoking and alcohol consumption history in 154 esophageal squamous cell carcinoma male patients and 695 cancer-free male controls by a case-control study conducted in Japan. The results showed that the hRAD17 Arg/Arg genotype compared to the Leu/Leu and Leu/Arg genotypes was significantly associated with the risk of the esophageal squamous cell carcinoma with an adjusted odds ratios of 2.22 (95% CI: 1.19-4.16 P=0.013). In stratified studies, the risk of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma was markedly higher in light drinkers (less than 23 g ethanol/day) with the Arg/Arg genotype than in heavy drinkers (excess of 23 g ethanol/day) with the Arg/Arg genotype (OR=2.83, 95% CI: 1.05-7.61, P=0.04). We concluded that the genetic variant of hRAD17 Leu546Arg polymorphism exerts a significant effect on esophageal squamous cell carcinoma risk among Japanese men. 