['To determine the association between HLA class II alleles and the probability of developing cancer in patients with autoimmune rheumatic diseases. MATERIAL AND METHODS; A matched case control study was conducted in which patients with autoimmune rheumatic disease who later developed malignancy (solid or lymphoproliferative) were compared with matched controls suffering from the same auto-immune rheumatic disease and with similar disease duration. The rheumatic diseases included rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, primary Sjögren syndrome, dermatomyositis-polymyositis, and systemic sclerosis. HLA-DR typing was performed by sequence-specific primers after DNA amplification by PCR (PCR-SSP). Statistical analysis was conducted by conditional logistic regression.', 'HLA-DRBI*02 and DRBI*03 were found to be significantly associated with the probability for developing cancer (OR = 5.2 and 4.9, respectively), independent of family history of rheumatoid arthritis and cancer, recurrent sore throat, alopecia, and clinical activity of rheumatoid arthritis.'] Are human leukocyte antigens class II genes associated with cancer development in the autoimmune rheumatic diseases?