Immunogenetics of nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Position in 1980

Abstract

The HLA profile of 313 newly diagnosed Chinese NPC patients was compared to that of 330 normal Chinese subjects. A2 Bw46 and Aw19/B B17 were associated with increased risks of developing NPC whereas A11 was associated with a decreased risk. A2 Bw46 was confined to older onset patients whereas Aw19/B B17 was associated with NPC patients of all ages but particularly with younger patients. The Aw19/B B17 haplotype was also associated with poor survival. A DR blank was strongly associated with NPC giving a relative risk of 26.5. In Malay NPC the HLA associations were Aw19/B B17 and A9 B18 and in Kadazan NPC, the association was with A9. Possible mechanisms of the HLA association were discussed.