Nasopharyngeal carcinoma and histocompatibility antigens.

New data are presented concerning the relationship between NPC and HLA antigens among Chinese. When attention is confined to newly diagnosed cases, it can be shown that, apart from the increased risk associated with the joint occurrence of A2 and B-Sin 2, there is also an increased risk associated with BW17 and a decrease in risk associated with A11. Among long-term survivors, however, BW17 is appreciably decreased, whereas A2 in the absence of B-Sin 2 or BW17 is increased. Among Malays, a non-Chinese group, there is an excess among NPC patients of a locus A blank, a blank which is probably associated with the AW19 complex.