Individual differences in xenobiotica metabolising capacity can influence susceptibility to multiple myeloma. NQO1 and GSTT1 polymorphisms were recently reported as risk factors for multiple myeloma and GSTP1 genotype was found to be a prognostic marker for therapy outcome in multiple myeloma. The aim of this study was to determine whether specific defective alleles of NQO1 (P187S) and GSTP1 (I105V) genes are associated with increased risk of multiple myeloma. Individual genotypes of 128 patients affected by multiple myeloma and 245 healthy controls were determined and our results do not support any major role of NQO1 or GSTP1 polymorphisms in multiple myeloma pathogenesis.