title: Characterization of human papillomavirus antibodies in individuals with head and neck cancer.
abstract: Human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV16) E6 antibodies are a promising biomarker of oropharyngeal cancer (OPC); however, seropositivity among non-OPC cases is not well characterized.
  
  
  
  Pre-treatment sera from 260 (38 OPC, 222 non-OPC) incident head and neck cancers diagnosed at the University of Pittsburgh between 2003 and 2006 were tested for HPV16 (L1,E1,E2,E4,E6,E7) and non-HPV16 E6 (HPV6,11,18,33) antibodies. Sensitivity and specificity of HPV16 E6 antibodies for HPV-driven tumors was evaluated among tumors with known HPV status (n=25).
  
  
  
  63.2% of OPC versus 27.5% of non-OPC cases were HPV16 seropositive; HPV16 E6 seroprevalence was 60.5% and 6.3% respectively, odds ratio 22.8 (95% confidence interval [CI] 9.8-53.1). Sensitivity and specificity of HPV16 E6 antibodies for HPV-driven OPC was 100% [95% CI: 50-100%; n=6] and 100% [95% CI: 60-100%, n=4] compared to 0% (n=2) and 0% (n=13) for non-OPC cases.
  
  
  
  HPV16 antibodies were significantly more common in OPC versus non-OPC cases, particularly HPV16 E6 antibodies.
authors.affiliation: National Cancer Institute, NIH, 9609 Medical Center Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
authors.forename: Krystle A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Lang Kuhs
authors.affiliation: German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 242, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pawlita
authors.affiliation: University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, 5150 Centre Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15232, USA.
authors.forename: Sandra P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Gibson
authors.affiliation: University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, 5150 Centre Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15232, USA; Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 6420 Rockledge Drive, Suite 4920, Bethesda, MD, USA; Tumor Biology Section, National Institute of Deafness and Communication Disorders, National Institutes of Health, 10 Center Drive, Building 10, Room 5B39, Bethesda, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Nicole C
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Schmitt
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology and Cancer Immunology Program, University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, 200 Lothrop Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15232, USA.
authors.forename: Sumita
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Trivedi
authors.affiliation: University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA; Hygeia Hospital, Erythrou Stavrou 5, Athens 15123, Greece.
authors.forename: Athanassios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Argiris
authors.affiliation: National Cancer Institute, NIH, 9609 Medical Center Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
authors.forename: Aimée R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Kreimer
authors.affiliation: University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, 5150 Centre Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15232, USA. Electronic address: ferrrl@upmc.edu.
authors.forename: Robert L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Ferris
authors.affiliation: German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 242, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany. Electronic address: t.waterboer@dkfz-heidelberg.de.
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Waterboer
mesh_terms: D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms; D052162:Human papillomavirus 16 / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D009856:Oncogene Proteins, Viral / Q000276:immunology*; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000276:immunology; D012097:Repressor Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies
chemical_list: D009856:Oncogene Proteins, Viral; D012097:Repressor Proteins
keywords: HPV antibodies; HPV seropositivity; HPV16; HPV16 E6; Human papillomavirus 16; Non-OPC; Non-oropharyngeal cancer; OPC; Oropharyngeal cancer