GSTM1 gene encodes a key enzyme involved in the metabolism of xenobiotics, and its polymorphisms have been related to individual susceptibility to several malignancies. Many molecular epidemiological studies were performed to investigate the association between the GSTM1 null polymorphism and lung cancer susceptibility in East Asia. However, the results were inconsistent. In order to derive a more precise estimation, we conducted this meta-analysis involving 5,909 lung cancer cases and 7,067 controls from 35 studies. We used crude odds ratios (ORs) with 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) to assess the association between GSTM1 null genotype and the risk of lung cancer. Our study found that the GSTM1 null genotype appeared to be a significant risk factor for lung cancer in East Asia population (OR = 1.30, 95 % CI = 1.17-1.45, P heterogeneity < 0.0001, and I (2) = 54.0 %).