Previous　studies　have　found　associations　between　polymorphisms　in　T　cell　immunoglobulin　and　mucin　domain　3　(TIM-3)　and　increased　risks　of　various　cancers.　However,　the　association　between　TIM-3　polymorphisms　and　breast　cancer　(BC)　remains　uncertain.　In　this　study,　a　total　of　560　BC　patients　and　583　age,　sex,　and　ethnicity-matched　healthy　controls　from　Northwest　China　were　included.　The　polymorphisms　were　genotyped　using　Sequenom　MassARRAY.　The　expression　level　of　TIM-3　protein　was　detected　by　immunohistochemistry.　We　observed　rs10053538　had　a　significantly　increased　risk　of　BC,　comparing　with　the　wild-type　genotype　even　after　Bonferroni　correction.　In　addition,　the　rs4704853　G＞A　variants　were　more　frequent　among　BC　patients　than　the　controls　(GA　+　AA　vs.　GG:　OR　=　1.32,　95%　CI　=　1.03-1.69,　P　=　0.026);　However,　the　significance　was　lost　after　Bonferroni　correction　(P　=　0.078).　Furthermore,　rs10053538　was　associated　with　lymph　node　metastasis.　Age　stratification　revealed　that　among　patients　aged　＜49　years,　those　with　the　rs4704853　GA/AA　genotype　had　a　higher　risk　of　BC;　But　there　was　no　difference　when　Bonferroni　correction　was　conducted.　Immunohistochemical　analysis　showed　that　the　expression　of　TIM-3　protein　in　the　breast　cancer　tissues　was　higher　in　patients　carrying　the　rs10053538　GT+TT　genotype　than　those　with　GG　genotype　(P　=　0.012).　However,　we　failed　to　find　any　difference　between　BC　patients　and　controls　in　any　rs1036199　genetic　model.　These　findings　suggested　that　rs10053538　in　TIM-3　might　increase　susceptibility　to　BC　and　promote　the　progression　of　BC　in　Chinese　women.