[Association of HLA with breast cancer and its ER status]

Results of comparative study of HLA-A, -B typing in 73 patients with breast cancer (BC) who had different ER status and 50 healthy individuals in north China are reported. Of these 73 patients, HLA-C, -DR typing were also studied in 58 patients. The results showed that HLA-Bw61 (40) were negatively associated with BC but -Cw7 and -DRw6 were positively associated with BC. Moreover, -DRw6 was more closely associated with ER(+) status, with a RR value of 8.621. In the ER (-) group, there were no specific related antigens. In the light of the difference in pathology, prognosis and effect of endocrine therapy between ER (+) and ER (-), the authors believe that the two kinds of breast cancer may be a heterogeneous disease.