HLA and survival in lung cancer

HLA A and B antigens were determined in a study of 125 patients with lung cancer. Differences between antigen frequencies in cancer and control populations were determined by chi 2 analysis or Fisher's exact test. Survival data were analyzed using the Cox model for censored data. Cancer patients had an increased frequency of the antigen Aw33 (relative risk = 10.5, P less than 0.016). The Cox model (D. R. Cox, J. R. Stat. Soc. B, 34, 187, 1972) indicated that four covariates had a significant effect on mean survival time independently: the presence of A3 (P less than 0.005) and of Aw33 (P less than 0.05) increased mean survival time of the cancer population; patients with anaplastic carcinoma and stage three of any histological type of cancer had a decreased mean survival time. The determination of HLA phenotypes, cancer type, and the stage of the disease can provide the expected mean survival time of any particular patient. This could be of importance for evaluating prognosis. The effect of Aw33 and A3 on survival time may be related to HLA closely linked genes, possibly coding for resistance to the disease.