HLA antigens in colorectal cancers and adenomas.

An investigation was made of the differences between colorectal cancer and adenoma using HLA markers. Subjects included 60 cases of colorectal cancer, 43 of colorectal adenoma and 120 healthy Japanese controls. In comparison with the controls, Bw40 was increased (p < 0.02) and B5 was decreased (p < 0.005) in the colorectal adenoma cases, whereas in the colorectal cancer cases, Bw35 was increased (p < 0.005). B5 was significantly less frequent in the adenoma cases than in the cancer cases (p < 0.05). It is suggested that the susceptibility of BW35 to the causal factors of colorectal cancer is under genetic control.