The association between four BCL10 single nucleotide polymorphisms at codons 5, 8, 162, and intron 1 and the susceptibility or progression for germ cell tumors (GCTs) was investigated in 73 testicular GCT patients and 72 controls. GCT patients with metastatic disease were more likely to have a variant type allele of the polymorphisms at codon 5 (age-adjusted odds ratio (aOR)=6.25; 95% CI=1.09-35.83; P=0.040) and codon 8 (aOR=4.63; 95% CI=1.35-15.93; P=0.015) than those with the localized disease. Therefore, BCL10 polymorphisms at codons 5 and 8 may play a role in the progression to advanced stage GCTs.