Immunogenetics of nasopharyngeal carcinoma--position in 1980

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 increase 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 haplotypes 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.