We investigated the prognostic significance of genetic polymorphism for glutathione S-transferase theta 1 (GSTT1) and glutathione S-transferase mu 1 (GSTM1) in 254 Chinese patients with de novo acute myeloid leukemia (AML) other than AML-M3. The early death rate after the initiation of chemotherapy was similar between the GSTT1+/GSTM1+ group and GSTT1-/GSTM1- group. The complete remission (CR) rate was higher in GSTM1+ group than in GSTM1- group (OR=1.88; P=0.03) after the first course of chemotherapy, and was higher in GSTT1+ group than in GSTT1- group (OR=2.20; P=0.02) after the second course of chemotherapy. Overall survival and disease-free survival of CR patients in GSTT1 and GSTM1 double present group was better than in GSTT1- and/or GSTM1-group (P=0.03 and 0.02, respectively). Our preliminary results warrant testing of a larger number of patients.