We aimed to explore the correlations between eukaryotic translation initiation factor 3, subunit A (eIF3a) polymorphisms and susceptibility to and chemoradiotherapy efficacy in cervical carcinoma. Between August 2007 and August 2011, 176 patients with cervical carcinoma were enrolled as the case group, and 180 healthy individuals were selected as the control group. elF3a Arg803Lys C >T genotypes were detected by hemi-nested polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism. All patients received chemoradiotherapy and were evaluated for efficacy. Compared with carriers of the CC genotype, carriers of the T genotype of the elF3a Arg803Lys C >T polymorphism had a higher risk of cervical carcinoma. The elF3a Arg803Lys C >T polymorphism was associated with tumor size, differentiation degree, Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage, and lymph node metastasis (LNM). The overall response rate of the case group was 69.32% (122/176). The response rate of CC genotype carriers was higher compared to patients with the CM+TT genotypes. Binary-logistic regression analysis showed that tumor size, FIGO stage, LNM, and the e1F3a Arg803Lys C >T polymorphism were influencing factors for chemoradiotherapy efficacy. Univariate analysis revealed that age, e1F3a Arg803Lys C >T polymorphism, differentiation degree, FIGO stage, and LNM were prognostic factors of cervical carcinoma, and multivariate analysis showed that age >= 60 years, higher FIGO stage, and LNM, as well as the CT and TT genotypes of the elF3a Arg803Lys C >T polymorphism, were risk factors related to the prognosis of cervical carcinoma. The e1F3a Arg803Lys C >T polymorphism is connected with a higher susceptibility to cervical carcinoma and may affect chemoradiotherapy efficacy in and prognosis of cervical carcinoma. Copyright (C) 2017, Kaohsiung Medical University. Published by Elsevier Taiwan LLC.