Germline HLA heterozygosity is associated with decreased lung cancer risk.

ABSTRACT: Heterozygosity at human leukocyte antigen (HLA) loci may improve lung cancer immunosurveillance by increasing recognition of the tumor by the immune system. Previous studies utilizing data from population-level biobanks, such as the United Kingdom Biobank and FinnGen, have identified an association between germline HLA class II (HLA-II) heterozygosity and reduced lung cancer risk in smokers. In the present study, we evaluate the association between HLA heterozygosity and lung cancer in a large case-control study (15,302 cases and 14,580 controls) with imputed HLA allele-type information, comparing differences in HLA heterozygosity between smokers and non-smokers, among lung cancer subtypes, and at 2- and 4-digit HLA allele resolution. We identify a strong protective association of HLA-II h

SUBMITTER: Tan T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12860938 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature