This study was aimed to explore the relationship between gene polymorphisms of myeloperoxidase (MPO) and the susceptibility of acute leukemia in Chinese Gansu population. G463A mutation of mpo gene was analyzed by polymerase chain reaction-ligase detection reaction (PCR-LDR) in 100 normal individuals (control group) and 100 patients with acute leukemia (AL group). The results showed that the a allele genotype and ga/aa genotype of mpo gene occurred more frequently in control group (28% and 54%) than those in AL group (19% and 31%) (p < 0.05). The AL risk for controls was decreased by 0.383-fold, compared with the individuals with gg genotype (95%CI = 0.215 - 0.682, p < 0.01). By further stratified analysis, the ga/aa genotype of mpo gene occurred more frequently in control group (54%) than those in AML group (28.2%) (p < 0.01). AML risk (95%CI = 0.157 - 0.546, p < 0.01) in the controls was decreased by 0.346-fold compared with the individual with gg genotype, however, the acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) showed no significant difference from control group in the incidence of the allele a genotype and ga/aa genotype of mpo gene. It is concluded that mpo gene polymorphism is associated with susceptibility of acute myeloid leukemia in Chinese Gansu population. The risk of AML decreases in the persons carrying a allele, but mpo gene polymorphism is not associated with susceptibility of acute lymphoblastic leukemia.