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Circulating HPV DNA as a Biomarker for Pre-Invasive and Early Invasive Cervical Cancer: A Feasibility Study

Authors :
Stacey J. Bryan
Jen Lee
Richard Gunu
Allison Jones
Adeola Olaitan
Adam N. Rosenthal
Ros J. Cutts
Isaac Garcia-Murillas
Nick Turner
Susan Lalondrelle
Shreerang A. Bhide
Source :
Cancers, Vol 15, Iss 9, p 2590 (2023)
Publication Year :
2023
Publisher :
MDPI AG, 2023.

Abstract

Background: High-risk HPV infection is responsible for >99% of cervix cancers (CC). In persistent infections that lead to cancer, the tumour breaches the basement membrane, releasing HPV-DNA into the bloodstream (cHPV-DNA). A next-generation sequencing assay (NGS) for detection of plasma HPV circulating DNA (cHPV-DNA) has demonstrated high sensitivity and specificity in patients with locally advanced cervix cancers. We hypothesised that cHPV-DNA is detectable in early invasive cervical cancers but not in pre-invasive lesions (CIN). Methods: Blood samples were collected from patients with CIN (n = 52) and FIGO stage 1A-1B CC (n = 12) prior to treatment and at follow-up. DNA extraction from plasma, followed by NGS, was used for the detection of cHPV-DNA. Results: None of the patients with pre-invasive lesions were positive for CHPV-DNA. In invasive tumours, plasma from one patient (10%) reached the threshold of positivity for cHPV-DNA in plasma. Conclusion: Low detection of cHPV-DNA in early CC may be explained by small tumour size, poorer access to lymphatics and circulation, and therefore little shedding of cHPV-DNA in plasma at detectable levels. The detection rate of cHPV-DNA in patients with early invasive cervix cancer using even the most sensitive of currently available technologies lacks adequate sensitivity for clinical utility.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
20726694
Volume :
15
Issue :
9
Database :
Directory of Open Access Journals
Journal :
Cancers
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
edsdoj.79198e0181da4cfcb09a4f4898e00a85
Document Type :
article
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers15092590