The immune system plays an important role in protecting the body against malignancy. During cancer immunoediting

the immune system can recognize and keep checking the tumor cells by down-expression of some self-molecules or by increasing expression of some novel molecules. However

the microenvironment created in the course of cancer development hampers the immune ability to recognize and destroy the transforming cells. Human Leukocyte Antigen G (HLA-G) is emerging as immune checkpoint molecule produced more by cancer cells to weaken the immune response against them. HLA-G is a non-classical HLA class I molecule which is normally expressed in immune privileged tissues as a soluble or membrane-bound protein.

HLA-G

locus is highly polymorphic in the non-coding 3′ untranslated region (UTR) and in the 5′ upstream regulatory region (5′ URR). HLA-G expression is controlled by polymorphisms located in these regions

and several association studies between these polymorphic sites and disease predisposition

response to therapy

and/or HLA-G protein expression have been reported. Various polymorphisms are demonstrated to modulate its expression and this is increasingly finding more significance in cancer biology. This review focuses on the relevance of the

HLA-G

gene and its polymorphisms in cancer development. We highlight population genetics of

HLA-G

as evidence to espouse the need and importance of exploring potential utility of HLA-G in cancer diagnosis

prognosis and immunotherapy in the currently understudied African population.