Objective  To investigate the association between cytochrome P4502E1 polymorphism and clinical outcomes in recurrent breast cancer patients treated by docetaxel plus capecitabine. Methods  Seventy recurrent breast cancer patients who were treated with docetaxel plus capecitabine were included in this study. Meanwhile, the correlation between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) sites at rs2070673 of CYP4502E1 alleles and treatment response rate and prognosis were analyzed. Results  Compared with wild homozygote (AA genotype) of P4502E1 gene, heterozygote (AT genotype) reduced disease progression risk by 73% (OR=0.27, 95% CI=0.05~1.41), and mutated homozygote (TT genotype) reduced disease progression risk by 88% (OR=0.12, 95% CI=0.02~0.71). The median OS with AA and AT genotype was 20.7 months (95% CI=17.0~24.4), but the median OS of TT genotype was significantly longer 28.5 months (95% CI=17.0~40.0). There were statistically significant differences (P<0.05). Conclusion  For patients with recurrent breast cancer, cytochrome P4502E1 gene is a polymorphic site that can affect the efficacy of first-line chemotherapy with docetaxel plus capecitabine. TT genotype patients have lower recurrence risk and significant advantage in survival. The P4502E1 gene is a polymorphic site that can affect the survival of patients with recurrent breast cancer treated by docetaxel plus capecitabine.