Circulating HPV DNA as a Prediagnostic Marker of Oropharyngeal Cancer

Despite the increasing incidence of human papillomavirus-driven oropharyngeal cancer (HPV-OPC), there are no national recommended screening guidelines for early detection. Circulation tumor (ct)HPVDNA detection is a promising marker for detection of HPV-OPC with sensitivity and specificity estimates at diagnosis ranging from 92-96% and 97-100%, respectively. However, the potential of ctHPVDNA for early detection of HPV-driven has not been explored. The objective of this study is to evaluate whether ctHPVDNA is detectable in the blood prior to diagnosis.