Could Mouth Rinse to Detect HPV DNA be Associated With Predicting Risk of Head/neck Cancer Recurrence, Death: Study

The repeated detection of HPV DNA identical to their tumor type in oral rinses was found to be linked to an increased risk of cancer recurrence and death, stated new study.

Researchers examined if a mouth rinse to detect human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA might be associated with helping to predict risk of recurrence of head and neck squamous cell cancer and death.

‘HPV DNA may be a promising biomarker to understand cancer treatment response and future risk of progression.’

This study included 396 adults with head and neck squamous cell cancer of the mouth or throat, of which 202 patients had HPV-positive cancers.

The typical follow-up time of about two years in this study may have underestimated the associations between the persistence of HPV and cancer recurrence.

Authors: Maura L. Gillison, M.D., Ph.D., University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, and coauthors

(doi:10.1001/jamaoncol.2019.0439)

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Source: Eurekalert