[Markers of genetic susceptibility to malignant neoplasms]

Fifty-eight lung cancer and 71 gastric cancer patients were matched with corresponding healthy controls versus such risk factors as age, sex, nationality, tobacco smoking, alcohol drinking and occupation. HLA-antigens and dermatoglyphic patterns were used as genetic markers. Multivariate analysis employed mathematical procedures of pattern recognition. The results using HLA-antigen technique were not satisfactory. On the contrary, lung cancer studies based on 16 most informative dermatoglyphic parameters yielded reliable decision rules which proved 100% effective in control group and 83.3% effective in cancer patients. In gastric cancer studies, the best results (87.5% of correctly recognized patterns in both groups) were obtained, when 20 parameters were used. Correlations between pattern types and cancer of the lung and stomach have been identified. It is suggested that complete dermatoglyphic picture may be used as a marker of genetic predisposition to oncological disease.