The previous published data on the association between the 8-oxo-guanine glycosylase-1 (OGG1) and apurinic/apyrimidinic-endonuclease-1 (APEX1/APE1) polymorphisms and lung cancer risk remained controversial. Several polymorphisms in the OGG1 and APEX1 gene have been described, including the commonly occurring Ser326Cys in OGG1 and Asp148Glu in APEX1. This meta-analysis of literatures was performed to derive a more precise estimation of the relationship. A total of 37 studies were identified to the meta-analysis, including 9,203 cases and 10,994 controls for OGG1 Ser326Cys (from 25 studies) and 3,491 cases and 4,708 controls for APEX1 Asp148Glu (from 12 studies). When all the eligible studies were pooled into the meta-analysis of OGG1 Ser326Cys polymorphism, significantly increased lung cancer risk was observed in recessive model (OR = 1.17, 95 % CI = 1.03-1.33) and in additive model (OR = 1.21, 95 % CI = 1.03-1.42). In the stratified analysis, significantly increased risk of lung cancer was also observed on the population-based studies (recessive model: OR = 1.26, 95 % CI = 1.08-1.46, additive model: OR = 1.42, 95 % CI = 1.06-1.73) and non-smokers (dominant model: OR = 1.20, 95 % CI = 1.02-1.42, recessive model: OR = 1.20, 95 % CI = 1.02-1.40, additive model: OR = 1.35, 95 % CI = 1.08-1.68). Additionally, when one study was deleted in the sensitive analysis, the results of OGG1 Ser326Cys were changed in Asians (recessive model: OR = 1.16, 95 % CI = 1.06-1.27, additive model: OR = 1.23, 95 % CI = 1.09-1.38). When all the eligible studies were pooled into the meta-analysis of APEX1 Asp148Glu polymorphism, there was no evidence of significant association between lung cancer risk and APEX1 Asp148Glu polymorphism in any genetic model. In the stratified analysis, significantly decreased lung adenocarcinoma risk was observed in recessive model (OR = 0.68, 95 % CI = 0.48-0.97, P (h) = 0.475, I(2) = 0.0 %). Additionally, when one study was deleted in the sensitive analysis, the results of APEX1 Asp148Glu were changed in Asians (recessive model: OR = 1.21, 95 % CI = 1.03-1.43) and smokers (dominant model: OR = 1.62, 95 % CI = 1.08-2.44, additive model: OR = 1.37, 95 % CI = 1.02-1.84). In summary, this meta-analysis indicates that OGG1 Ser326Cys show an increased lung cancer risk in Asians and non-smokers, APEX1 Asp148Glu polymorphism may be associated with decreased lung adenocarcinoma risk, and APEX1 Asp148Glu polymorphism show an increased lung cancer risk in Asians and smokers. However, a study with the larger sample size is needed to further evaluated gene-environment interaction on OGG1 Ser326Cys and APEX1 Asp148Glu polymorphisms and lung cancer risk.