HLA-DQ6 CONFERS HIGHER RISK FOR INVASIVE CERVICAL CANCER COMPARED TO CERVICAL INTRAEPITHELAL NEOPLASIA PATIENTS FROM SWEDEN
C.B. Sanjeevi, M. Ghaderi, K.L. Chua, G. Hallmans, P. Lenner, and J. Dillner. Dept of Molecular Medicine, Karolinska Hospital, MTC, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Dept of Nutritional Research, University of Umeå, Sweden.

---

Carcinoma cervix is known to be associated with HPV. DR15-DQ6 (DQB1*0602) has been shown to be associated directly with CIN as well as with HPV16 positive Carcinoma in situ (CIN) in Swedish women from Northern Sweden. The aim of this study is to analyze the HLA association in invasive form of cervical cancer patients from the Vasterbotten County in Northern Sweden. HLA genotyping of DR and DQ was done by PCR-SSO method in 96 patients and 143 age, sex and geographically matched unrelated population based controls.

The haplotype DQA1*0102-DQB1*0602 (DQ6) was strongly positively associated with invasive form of cervical cancer patients. It was present in 35/96 (36%) patients compared to 17/143 (12%) controls (Odds ratio =4.25; Pc<0.001). This association is stronger that the observation made in CIN patients which was 26/74 (35%) compared to 32/164 (20%) controls (Odds ratio = 2.23; p<0.01; Pc=ns).

In conclusion, susceptibility to invasive form of Carcinoma Cervix is increased by DQA1*0102-DQB1*0602 (DQ6) and the relative risk is higher than that seen in CIN.