Immunologic studies in patients with trophoblastic neoplasia

Histocompatibility antigen was analyzed in 1,104 patients with trophoblastic neoplasia and in their husbands. Furthermore, the patients were examined for cell-mediated immunity. (1) There was no significant difference in the frequency of the ABO blood groups between patients with hydatidiform or destructive mole or choriocarcinoma and healthy persons. (2) The incidence of appearance of anti-HL-A antibody was more frequent in the patients with destructive mole than in those with hydatidiform mole or choriocarcinoma. (3) Patients with choriocarcinoma were frequently incompatible at HL-A9, HL-A10, and HL-AW5. (4) The mixed lymphocyte culture (MLC) showed lower values in patients with choriocarcinoma than in those with destructive mole. Histocompatibility between the patients and their husbands was more remarkable in the patients with chriocarcinoma than in those with destructive mole. (5) In patients with choriocarcinoma, incompatibility was detected at HL-A10, HL-A11, HL-AW5, and HL-A13 in the group with good prognosis and at HL-A5, HL-AW15, and HL-A12 in the poor prognosis group. The MLC value was lower in the poor prognosis group.