653
Letters
to
the Editor
INFLUENCE OF HLA, ABO, AND Rh(D) ON SURVIVAL AFTER REMISSION IN ACUTE MYELOGENOUS LEUKÆMIA
SIR,-The cause of spontaneous human leukaemia is unknown,’ but in some animal systems viruses initiate leukaemia in genetically susceptible individuals.2 In the mouse, some genes are responsible for hereditary anxmias, and at least one is associated with dominant resistance. Studies have recently suggested that HLA antigens may also influence survival in acute myelogeneous leukaemia (A.M.L.).3 We now report the significant influence of HLA, ABO and Rh(D) on remission induction and on survival in patients with
(Rgv-1)
locus
in man
A.M.L.
142 patients with A.M.L. and 100 controls from the Northof England were HLA, ABO, and Rh(D) typed. The techniques and accuracy of HLA-typing blast cells and normal lymphocytes have been reported previously.4 ABO and Rh(D) data on a further 41 patients is also reported, while morphological diagnosis, criteria of remission and relapse, and therapeutic protocols are also described elsewhere.’ .6 There were no significant differences between the HLA phenotype frequencies in 142 A.M.L. patients and 100 controls after appropriate corrections. However, there was a deficiency of HLA-B12 in A.M.L. patients at presentation, compared with normal controls (P
Letters
to
the Editor
INFLUENCE OF HLA, ABO, AND Rh(D) ON SURVIVAL AFTER REMISSION IN ACUTE MYELOGENOUS LEUKÆMIA
SIR,-The cause of spontaneous human leukaemia is unknown,’ but in some animal systems viruses initiate leukaemia in genetically susceptible individuals.2 In the mouse, some genes are responsible for hereditary anxmias, and at least one is associated with dominant resistance. Studies have recently suggested that HLA antigens may also influence survival in acute myelogeneous leukaemia (A.M.L.).3 We now report the significant influence of HLA, ABO and Rh(D) on remission induction and on survival in patients with
(Rgv-1)
locus
in man
A.M.L.
142 patients with A.M.L. and 100 controls from the Northof England were HLA, ABO, and Rh(D) typed. The techniques and accuracy of HLA-typing blast cells and normal lymphocytes have been reported previously.4 ABO and Rh(D) data on a further 41 patients is also reported, while morphological diagnosis, criteria of remission and relapse, and therapeutic protocols are also described elsewhere.’ .6 There were no significant differences between the HLA phenotype frequencies in 142 A.M.L. patients and 100 controls after appropriate corrections. However, there was a deficiency of HLA-B12 in A.M.L. patients at presentation, compared with normal controls (P
