title: HLA Class I and II genotype in uveal melanoma: relation to occurrence and prognosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess whether human leukocyte antigen class I and class II alleles confer susceptibility to uveal melanoma or are related to specific clinical or tumor characteristics and survival.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between 1990 and 2004, 235 consecutive Dutch patients with diagnoses of primary uveal melanoma were typed for HLA class I and II, either by complement-dependent cytotoxicity test or by DNA-based technique. Allele frequencies were compared with those of a control group that consisted of 2440 healthy Dutch blood donors. In addition, allele frequencies of 138 patients with uveal melanoma, who underwent enucleation as primary treatment, were compared for tumor characteristics and survival.
  
  
  RESULTS
  With regard to tumor characteristics, correlations between HLA-DR13 and tumor size, HLA-B35 and spindle cell type, and HLA-B60 and ciliary body involvement were observed before correction for the number of alleles tested. Correlation was found between the presence of HLA-B44 and decreased survival. We did not find any allele that correlated with susceptibility to uveal melanoma after correction for the number of comparisons between patients and controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study shows that HLA class I and II antigens do not contribute to an increased genetic susceptibility to uveal melanoma. This does not exclude an important role for HLA antigens in immune surveillance against uveal melanoma and their metastases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Leiden University Medical Center, Keiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Willem
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Maat
authors.forename: Geert W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Haasnoot
authors.forename: Frans H J
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Claas
authors.forename: Nicoline E
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Schalij-Delfos
authors.forename: Geziena M T
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Schreuder
authors.forename: Martine J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Jager
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001918:Brachytherapy; D003601:Cytotoxicity Tests, Immunologic; D015353:Eye Enucleation; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005838:Genotype; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000235:genetics*; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000235:genetics*; D006650:Histocompatibility Testing; D006801:Humans; D006979:Hyperthermia, Induced; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D015996:Survival Rate; D014604:Uveal Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy
chemical_list: D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II