Comparing serum protein levels can aid in differentiating HPV-negative and -positive oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma patients

Abstract

Background The surrogate immunohistochemical marker, p16 INK4a , is used in clinical practice to determine the high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) status of oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas (OPSCC). With a specificity of 83%, this will misclassify some patients compared with direct HPV testing. Patients who are p16 INK4a-positive but HPV DNA-negative, or RNAnegative, may be unsuitable for treatment de-escalation aimed at reducing treatmentrelated side effects. We aimed to identify cost-effective serum markers to improve decision making for patients at risk of misclassification by p16 INK4a alone. Methods Serum proteins from pre-treatment samples of 36 patients with OPSCC were identified and quantified using label-free mass spectrometry-based proteomics. HPV-status was determined using p16 INK4a /HPV DNA and E6/E7 mRNA. Serum protein expressions were compared between groups of patients according to HPV status, using the unpaired t-test with a Benjamini-Hochberg correction. ROC curves (AUC) were calculated with SPSS (v25).

HDL proteome remodeling associates with COVID-19 severity

“…40 In a small study, APOF was elevated in serum of human papillomavirus (HPV) subjects comparing with negative controls. 41 These studies may point to a previous unsuspected role of APOF in viral infections, and reinforce a putative role of HDL against infectious diseases. Studies of inflammatory HDL, i.e.…”

Loco-Regional Control and Sustained Difference in Serum Immune Protein Expression in Patients Treated for p16-Positive and p16-Negative Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

“…Dickinson et al aimed to identify cost-effective serum markers to improve decisions at risk of misclassification based on the p16 status alone. Of the 174 analysed serum proteins before treatment, three differed between HPV-positive and HPV-negative patients: complement component C7 (C7), apolipoprotein F (ApoF), and galectin-3-Binding Protein (LGALS3BP) [ 42 ]. Aarstad et al reported no differences depending on the HPV status in an acute-phase cytokine profile before treatment in 144 patients with HNSCC [ 43 ].…”

Clinical data, survival, and prognosis of 426 cases of oropharyngeal cancer: A retrospective analysis

“…However, the incidence of oropharyngeal cancer in these regions has been increasing every year according to etiological studies [14] . Studies in the last decade have shown that HPV infection is another risk factor for the development of oropharyngeal cancer, with HPV16 infection association being the highest, followed by HPV18 [15][16] . Statistics show that the morbidity rate of HPV-related oropharyngeal cancer is on the rise every year, and the HPV infection rates vary greatly from region to region [17] .…”