Photo Credit: AI

The following is a summary of “HLA-Region Genetic Association Analysis of Breast Cancer Patients With and Without Persistent Postsurgical Neuropathic Pain,” published in the March 2025 issue of European Journal of Pain by Mustonen et al. 

Researchers conducted a retrospective study to investigate the association between human leukocyte antigen (HLA) gene polymorphisms and the development of persistent neuropathic pain (NP) following surgical nerve injuries.  

They performed a genetic association analysis of HLA class I and class II alleles in women who underwent breast cancer surgery. Perioperative nerve injury was confirmed by surgeons, and individuals were evaluated 4–9 years post-surgery. The study included 27 cases with definite NP and worst pain intensity ≥4/10 on a numerical rating scale (NRS) and 30 controls with the same nerve injury but no NP or other pain. Whole-genome single nucleotide polymorphism data were generated, and HLA class I (HLA-A, -B, -C) and class II (HLA-DRB1, -DQA1, -DQB1, -DPB1) alleles were identified through imputation.  

The results showed that the HLA-DRB103:01, DQA105:01, and DQB1*02:01 alleles were associated with painful nerve injury following breast cancer surgery (nominal P = 0.007 for all, carriership OR = 12.0, 95% CI 1.38–104; FDR corrected P > 0.07). These alleles formed the DR3-DQ2 haplotype, which is part of the ancestral haplotype AH8.1.  

Investigators concluded that HLA genetic variation contributes to persistent post-surgical NP, suggesting an underlying mechanism involving immunological memory. 

Source: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ejp.70009