Background: In recent years numerous reports have discussed the relationship between the human leukocyte antigen and lung cancer. However, the genetic background of lung cancer has not yet been precisely clarified.
Methods: To investigate the genetic background of lung cancer, the human leukocyte antigens in 159 normal healthy control subjects and 102 lung cancer patients were studied, and restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) beta gene in 165 normal healthy control subjects and 135 lung cancer patients was performed.
Results: Lung cancer patients showed a high frequency of human leukocyte antigen B61; however, no statistical difference was found. In the lung cancer patients, the TNF beta 10.5/10.5-kb allele was found at a low frequency, 38.5%, compared to 53.3% in normal controls (chi 2 = 7.51, P = 0.011, corrected P = 0.033, relative risk = 0.77). In the relationship between the histologic types and the TNF beta gene, the TNF beta 10.5/10.5-kb allele showed low frequencies: 38.5% in adenocarcinoma, 38.2% in squamous cell carcinoma, and 27.8% in small cell carcinoma, although no statistical difference was shown. In relation to the postoperative survival period, the TNF beta 10.5/10.5-kb allele was associated with prolonged survival.
Conclusions: The TNF beta 10.5/10.5-kb allele may be associated with resistance to lung cancer and with a better prognosis.