Clinical validation of an HPV whole genome sequencing assay for molecular residual disease detection in HPV-associated head and neck cancer patients treated with surgery.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Surgery is a common treatment for early-stage HPV-associated head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HPV+HNC). Selection of patients who require adjuvant treatment is based on clinicopathologic risk factors, which have poor individualized prognostic capacity. Circulating tumor HPV DNA (ctHPVDNA) is a highly sensitive and specific biomarker for HPV+HNC at diagnosis, but current clinically available assays lack the necessary sensitivity for accurate minimal residual disease (MRD) detection after surgery. Here, we applied a significantly more sensitive HPV whole genome sequencing (WGS) assay to determine the prognostic value of ctHPVDNA-based MRD detection and compare this head-to-head with existing approaches and clinical standard of care.

Patients and methods

103 pa

SUBMITTER: Hirayama S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12676411 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature