The methylation status of HLA-DRB1 might promote tumor progression, as evidenced by HLA-DRB1 CpG16 hypermethylation and subsequent gene silencing in later clinical stages and vice versa for HLA-DQB1, where lower methylation levels of CpG16-17 were associated with increased aggressiveness of Kazakh ESCC [84]. Here, HLA-DRB1 is linked to esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.