Lee LK, Tan EL, Gopala K, Sam CK
Correspondence: Mr Lee Lin Kiat, linkiatlee@gmail.com
ABSTRACT
Introduction Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is the second most common cancer among Malaysian Chinese males. We determined the frequencies of 17 human leukocyte antigens (HLA), HLA-A and HLA-B, alleles in 88 Malaysian Chinese with NPC.
Methods Using polymerase chain reaction sequence-specific primers, the frequencies of 17 HLA-A and HLA-B alleles were analysed. They were A1, A2, A11, A31, A32, A33, B8, B13, B27, B38, B39, B44, B46, B55, B58, B61 and B71.
Results Three of the 17 alleles were detected in NPC patients. They were A1 (0.6 percent), A2 (56.3 percent) and A11 (43.2 percent). Three of the 17 alleles were detected in age- and sex-matched healthy individuals. They were A2 (50.0 percent), A11 (50.0 percent) and B27 (4.7 percent). The A2 and A11 alleles were evenly distributed in both groups, while A1 was only found in one NPC patient and B27 exclusively in healthy individuals.
Conclusion We conclude that A1 is very rare, and A2, A11, A31, A32, A33, B8, B13, B38, B39, B44, B46, B55, B58, B61 and B71 alleles have no associations with the occurrence of NPC in Malaysia, while allele B27 is negatively associated.
Keywords: human leukocyte antigen, nasopharyngeal carcinoma, polymerase chain reaction sequence-specific primers
Singapore Med J 2007; 48(7): 632–634
