HLA antigens and bronchogenic carcinoma in the Greek population

The distribution of HLA antigens was studied in 85 Greek patients with bronchogenic carcinoma. Fifty-seven specific HLA antisera were used to determine 27 HLA-A and B antigens, with the two-stage standard NIH microlymphocytotoxicity assay. The results were compared with those in a control group, consisting of 400 healthy individuals. In the whole group of patients there was a significantly higher frequency of HLA-AW19 and HLA-A29 (p less than 0.003 and p less than 0.006 respectively) and a lower frequency of HLA-A2 and HLA-A3 (p less than 0.014 and p less than 0.006 respectively) than in the control population. In patients with squamous cell carcinoma there was a significantly higher frequency of HLA-AW19 and lower frequency of HLA-A2 (p less than 0.02 and p less than 0.05 respectively). In small cell carcinoma patients there was a significantly lower frequency of HLA-A3 (p less than 0.04) than among the controls. In patients with adenocarcinoma no significant change of HLA antigen frequencies was observed when compared to the controls.