ASSOCIATION BETWEEN OROSOMUCOID TYPES AND CANCER

Orosomucoid (ORM) is a polymorphic acute-phase reactant with immunosup pressive properties. Previous investigations have suggested that ORM a nd other acute-phase reactants may act as blocking factors protecting tumor cells against immunological attack, thereby contributing to the 'immune escape' of the tumor. ORM types were studied by isoelectric fo cusing and immunoprinting in patients with carcinoma of the breast, lu ng, ovary and endometrium and in population controls. In accordance wi th a previous study, the frequencies of the ORM12 allele and the ORM1 2 phenotype were found to be significantly increased in patients with different types of carcinomas. The results suggest that the ORM1 2 va riant may influence the progression of cancer by being more immunosupp ressive than the ORM1 1 variant. The relative risk for carcinoma in pa tients with the ORM1 2 type was 1.56 (95% confidence interval:1.16-2.0 9).