ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To study the distribution of human leukocyte antigens (HLA) -A and -B antigens by standard microlymphocytotoxicity assay in Thai nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients compared to normal controls in order to identify the alleles associated with NPC in Thailand. DESIGN: Retrospective-Analytical study. SUBJECTS: Fifty-three unrelated Thai patients with histologically confirmed NPC diagnosed at King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital and 70 healthy unrelated Thai individuals served as controls. METHOD: Lymphocyte separation and HLA typing were performed from freshly drawn blood by standard microlymphocytotoxicity assay. The significance of differences between the two groups was analyzed by the chi-square test. RESULTS: HLA-A2 was observed at a greater frequency in patients being found in 31/53 (58%) NPC patients compared to 27/70 (38%) controls (p = 0.02). An increase in HLA-B46 was also demonstrated. HLA-B46 was present in 16/53 (30%) NPC patients but was observed in 10/70 (14%) in controls (p = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: This study reported two susceptible, HLA-A2 and HLA-B46 antigens, for NPC in a Thai population.