HLA-ANTIGENS IN BLACK PATIENTS WITH HEPATOCELLULAR-CARCINOMA

To determine whether genetically determined immune response factors co uld be involved in the pathogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma, we pe rformed HLA-A and HLA-B typing in 55 black patients with histologicall y-proven hepatocellular carcinoma, and HLA-DR and HLA-DQ typing in 47 of these patients. The HLA typing was also carried out in a control gr oup of normal black patients. The HLA typing was done by a standard mi crolymphocytotoxicity method. No difference in HLA-A, HLA-DR and HLA-D Q frequencies between patients and controls were noted. HLA-B21 was pr esent in 10.9% of patients compared to 1.8% of control subjects (corre cted p<0.005; relative risk = 6.6) and HLA-B49 was present in 7.3% of patients compared with 1.1% of normal control subjects (corrected p<0. 007; relative risk = 7.1), These findings suggest that genetic factors may play a role in the pathogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma.