Genotyping of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) ancestral haplotypes as prognostic marker in cancer using PCR analysis

The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) comprises a set of genes that are essential to immunity and surveillance against neoplastic transformation. MHC antigens not only regulate antitumor immune responses in experimental animal models but also directly correlate with survival and prognosis of patients with various types of cancers. Effective recognition of tumor cells by effector T cells may be affected by the genotype and the extent of expression of human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-peptide complexes. Therefore, MHC antigens may serve as potential biomarkers for prognosis and allow selection of cancer patients for specific therapy. We describe PCR-based method to determine the HLA genotype in healthy individuals and patients using blood and tumor tissue as DNA source.