title: Markers of HPV infection and survival in patients with head and neck tumors.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to determine whether changes in human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA prevalence in oral rinses and/or HPV-specific antibody levels in the sera of patients with oral/oropharyngeal cancer have prognostic significance. One hundred and forty-two patients with oral/oropharyngeal tumors were enrolled. The presence of HPV DNA was assayed in tumor tissue and oral rinses and HPV-specific antibodies were assessed in the sera. Oral rinses were collected before treatment and one year after the treatment. Sera were drawn before treatment, one month, and one year after the end of the treatment. Altogether, 59.2% of tumors were HPV positive. The presence of HPV DNA in the tumors correlated with HPV DNA positivity in oral rinses and with HPV-specific antibodies in the sera. Out of 66 patients with HPV-positive oral rinses at enrolment, 84.8% became negative at one-year follow-up, while most patients remained seropositive for HPV-specific antigens. However, the mean titers of HPV16 E6 and/or E7 antibodies at follow-up were significantly lower. Of 16 patients with recurrences at follow-up (alive on second sampling), six were positive at enrolment for HPV16 E6 and/or E7 antibodies. In five of these, no decrease in antibody levels was observed. Titers of antibodies specific for HPV16 capsid antigens did not change during the follow-up. Our data suggest that the detection of antibodies specific for the HPV 16 E6 and E7 oncoproteins may serve not only as a marker of HPV etiology, but also as a marker of recurrence and a prognostic indicator in patients with HPV-positive tumors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague, Motol University Hospital, Prague, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Koslabova
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hamsikova
authors.forename: Martina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Salakova
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Klozar
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Foltynova
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Salkova
authors.forename: Eliska
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rotnaglova
authors.forename: Viera
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ludvikova
authors.forename: Ruth
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tachezy
mesh_terms: D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D036022:Capsid Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality* / Q000821:virology*; D052162:Human papillomavirus 16 / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009055:Mouth / Q000821:virology; D009856:Oncogene Proteins, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D050725:Papillomavirus E7 Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D011379:Prognosis; D012097:Repressor Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D015996:Survival Rate
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D036022:Capsid Proteins; D004279:DNA, Viral; C068651:E6 protein, Human papillomavirus type 16; D009856:Oncogene Proteins, Viral; D050725:Papillomavirus E7 Proteins; D012097:Repressor Proteins; C059731:oncogene protein E7, Human papillomavirus type 16
keywords: HPV; antibodies; follow-up; head and neck cancer; oral rinses