title: Salivary and serum HPV antibody levels before and after definitive treatment in patients with oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  HPV-associated oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) is increasing in incidence. Laboratory assays that identify virally-mediated disease and predict HPV clearance in OPSCC may have important prognostic implications.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Here we investigated serum, salivary HPV16 early (E) antibodies before and after definitive chemoradiotherapy (CRT) in patients with locoregionally advanced OPSCC.
  
  
  METHODS
  We prospectively measured salivary, serum samples at the beginning of and 6-7 weeks following the completion of CRT in 44 patients. IgG antibodies targeting N- and C-terminal fragments of E2 (NE2, CE2), E6 and E7 were measured by programmable enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We observed serum antibodies directed against HPV-associated E proteins in patients with HPV-associated OPSCC. E7 directed antibodies were detected in saliva in the majority of patients, and were associated with HPV status (p= 0.03). When analyzed longitudinally, median salivary E7 antibody levels decreased significantly post-treatment (p= 0.007).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results demonstrate the feasibility of measuring HPV16 E antibodies in saliva and serum. E7 antibodies, in particular, are more detectable in saliva as compared with other E protein antibodies. Measuring E7 salivary antibody levels at various time points may have utility in understanding HPV clearance and should be explored for their ability to predict the risk of recurrence.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Glenn J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Hanna
authors.affiliation: Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Vishwajith
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sridharan
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Brigham & Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Danielle N
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Margalit
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Brigham & Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Stephanie K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: La Follette
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Nicole G
authors.initials: NG
authors.lastname: Chau
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Guilherme
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rabinowits
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Jochen H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lorch
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Robert I
authors.initials: RI
authors.lastname: Haddad
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Brigham & Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Roy B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Tishler
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences, Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA.
authors.forename: Karen S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Brigham & Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Jonathan D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Schoenfeld
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D059248:Chemoradiotherapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D009959:Oropharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000302:isolation & purification; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000821:virology; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012463:Saliva / Q000821:virology*; D015996:Survival Rate
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor
keywords: HPV; antibodies; oropharyngeal cancer; saliva