human papaloma virus

The growing role for cfHPV-DNA testing in OPSCC therapeutic development

Source: www.biopharmadive.com Author: Sysmex Inostics,sponsored content Human papillomavirus (HPV) plays a key role in the development of oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC). Approximately 80% of all OPSCC cases in the U.S. are associated with HPV.1 In fact, the incidence of HPV-associated OPSCC in men has surpassed that of cervical cancer in women, making OPSCC the most common cancer caused by HPV in the U.S.2 As pharmaceutical companies seek to develop targeted therapeutics for HPV-associated cancers, access to robust biomarkers can prove invaluable for drug development. cfHPV-DNA in plasma meets this need and represents an attractive biomarker for grading treatment response and recurrence surveillance. Here, we’ll discuss the growing role for cfHPV-DNA as a biomarker in developing novel therapeutics targeting HPV-associated OPSCC and how HPV-SEQ — a quantitative, ultrasensitive test for cfHPV-DNA — can be leveraged during development for such therapies. The rise of cfHPV-DNA as a biomarker for HPV-associated OPSCC It has long been known that HPV-associated oropharyngeal cancers shed HPV-DNA into the circulatory system. However, drug developers now have an opportunity to not only detect but also quantify cfHPV-DNA in plasma to assess the effectiveness of therapeutics during development. “With real-time insights, you can get a very keen sense of how the tumor is responding to intervention during a clinical trial, including de-escalation clinical trials,” explained Nishant Agrawal, MD, co-director, head and neck surgical oncology at University of Chicago Medicine. “In the past, measuring responses has taken months or even years. But with cfHPV-DNA testing, you can do it [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2024-04-15T07:30:24-07:00April, 2024|Oral Cancer News|

How Can Dental Practitioners Join the Fight Against HPV-Associated Oropharyngeal Cancer?

Source: Aegis Dental Network Date: February 2020, Volume 41, Issue 2 Authors: Jack Dillenberg, DDS, MPH; A. Ross Kerr, DDS, MSD; Alexis Koskan, PhD; Seena Patel, DMD, MPH; Mai-Ly Duong, DMD, MPH, MAEdAeg Dr. Dillenberg The entire dental team has the responsibility of impacting the overall health of their patients. This becomes even more relevant with the realization that up to 27 million people each year visit a dentist and not a physician, thus providing a special opportunity for primary care issues to be addressed in the dental setting. One such opportunity is oropharyngeal cancer (OPC) prevention and control. An estimated 51,540 new cases of oral and pharyngeal cancer occurred in 2019, with a 5-year relative survival rate of 65%.1 Of these, it is estimated that 19,000 are human papilloma virus (HPV)-associated OPC, which is the only cancer that has increased in prevalence in the past 5 years, and that these numbers will continue to rise.1 Whereas the use of alcohol and tobacco were once the leading causes of OPC, the emergence of HPV infection as the main cause of OPC has changed everything. Infection with HPV (particularly HPV type 16) is transmitted primarily through sexual contact and is a vaccine-preventable virus. HPV is the most common sexually transmitted disease and can be spread even when someone infected with this virus has no signs or symptoms. Therefore, the dental team should be aware of this serious emerging cancer, be able to educate patients about risk factors, and engage in preventive [...]

Charlotte Parker2020-02-10T13:55:12-07:00February, 2020|Oral Cancer News|

Cervical pre-cancer rates down 88% in decade since HPV vaccinations began – first findings

Source: The Conversation Date: April 19, 2019 Author: Kevin Polluck Cervical cancer is the third most common cancer among women in the UK under the age of 35 after breast and skin cancer. In the majority of cases, the cancer only develops if the patient is infected with human papillomavirus (HPV) types 16 or 18. This virus is mainly transmitted between people having vaginal, anal or oral sex. At some point in their lives, four in five people will be infected by HPV strains – as many as 14 can cause cancer in total. According to recent studies, other cancers heavily linked to HPV infections include head-and-neck, vulvo-vaginal and anal. In an effort to reduce rates of cervical cancer, a number of countries launched immunisation programmes in the late 2000s, starting with Australia in 2006. The UK and its devolved governments launched a school immunisation programme in 2008 to vaccinate all girls aged 12-13. To speed up the time lag associated with achieving the benefits of vaccination, they also kicked off a three-year catch-up programme for girls aged up to 18 years. A decade on, we are finally able to publish the first results. The data relates to Scotland, since it was cervically screening women from the age of 20 until 2016 – before falling into line with the minimum age of 25 used in the rest of the UK. This meant that Scotland obtained screening data for the 2008-09 cohort before the change in screening age. Scotland also has [...]

Charlotte Parker2020-01-06T17:40:21-07:00January, 2020|Oral Cancer News|

How the ADA Oral Cancer Policy Amendment Will Affect Your Practice

Source: Dentistry Today Date: November 29th, 2019 Author: Jo-Anne Jones The ADA recently announced an expansion to its policy on oral cancer detection recommending that dentists and dental hygienists perform routine examinations for oral cancer includingoropharyngeal cancer for all patients. Passed by the ADA House of Delegates in September, this change was brought about to align with concerns from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) over the escalating numbers of diagnosed cases of oropharyngeal cancer linked to the human papillomavirus (HPV). While HPV-related oropharyngeal cancer has risen by 225% over the past two decades, oral cancer linked to the historical etiologic pathways of tobacco and alcohol use has declined by 50%. The ADA’s policy also aligns with support for the HPV vaccine, as 70% of oropharyngeal cancers in the United States are related to HPV, according to the CDC. Dentists and dental hygienists play a critical role in opportunistic screening on all adult patients despite whether they possess the historical risk factors of using tobacco products or alcohol. There is a distinct knowledge gap in today’s population to fully understand that a non-smoker and non-drinker may in fact be at risk for oral and oropharyngeal cancer due to HPV. It is our responsibility to educate our dental patients about all of the risk factors that exist for both oral and oropharyngeal cancer. Now more than ever, it is critically important to extend our screening practices, both visual and tactile, to every adult in the practice on an annual basis. [...]

Charlotte Parker2019-12-03T17:49:17-07:00December, 2019|OCF In The News, Oral Cancer News|

HPV vaccine benefits ‘exceed expectations,’ may lead to elimination of cervical cancer

Source: NBC News Date: June 27, 2019 Author: Katie Sullivan A new study suggests that the benefits of the vaccine extend to people who aren't vaccinated — meaning the more people who are vaccinated, the better. The HPV vaccine is far more effective than expected, with benefits extending beyond those who receive the vaccine, a study published Wednesday finds. The new study, published in The Lancet, suggests that the more people who receive the vaccine, the better. That’s because vaccination not only reduces rates of HPV infection and the presence of precancerous cells in the cervix in people who receive the vaccine, it also reduces rates of HPV-related diseases in people who were not vaccinated. The findings come as a U.S. federal advisory panel recommended Wednesday that the HPV vaccine be given to both men and women up to age 26. HPV, or human papillomavirus, is the leading cause of cervical cancer. The virus can also cause other cancers, including cancers of the penis, head and neck, as well as conditions like genital warts. The HPV vaccine was first introduced in 2006. Since then, more than 115 countries and territories have implemented it in their vaccination programs. The World Health Organization recommends that girls ages 9 to 13 receive two doses of the vaccine. “The impact of the HPV vaccination has actually exceeded expectations,” said Lauri Markowitz, associate director of science for HPV at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, who worked on the study. "The trials showed that HPV vaccines are very effective, and data [...]

Charlotte Parker2019-06-28T09:50:32-07:00June, 2019|Oral Cancer News|

Queensland scientist develops new HPV cancer vaccine

Source: 9News Date: May 22, 2019 Author: 9News Staff *click Source to view video* Former Australian of the Year Professor Ian Frazer has developed a vaccine aimed at treating HPV-related cancers of the head, neck, throat and tongue. While funding is still being finalised, a trial of the vaccine is being prepared for people with incurable oropharyngeal cancers. Professor Frazer, the Scottish-born immunologist who developed and patented the vaccine against HPV-related cervical cancer, has been working on this vaccine for nearly 15 years. While the cervical cancer vaccine works as a preventative, this new vaccine is a treatment therapy. It works by teaching the patient’s immune system to target the cancer cells containing HPV. The patient will then be given immunotherapy drugs that supercharge the immune system. “This is all about a new way to treat cancer using the body's defence against infection,” Professor Frazer said. “This might give a second chance at life.” HPV-related throat cancer kills three Australians every day. “It's going to become a major problem in Australia, in fact in the US we've seen an increase in HPV-related throat cancers by 225 per cent," head and neck radiation oncologist Sandro Porceddu said. Professor Porceddu will conduct the trial at the Princess Alexandra Hospital. It should begin towards the end of this year if a further $700,000 in necessary funding is found. © Nine Digital Pty Ltd 2019

Charlotte Parker2019-05-22T16:06:08-07:00May, 2019|Oral Cancer News|

AstraZenica, Inovio strike deal to find HPV cancer vaccine

Source: www.philly.comAuthor: David Sell Local drugmakers - big and small - struck a deal to try to develop a vaccine to prevent a form of cervical, head and neck cancer. MedImmune, which is the biologics and research division with AstraZeneca, said Monday it will collaborate with Inovio Pharmaceuticals to develop an early stage cancer vaccine designed to treat human pappilomavirus. AstraZeneca will pay Inovio $27.5 million upfront. If the compound reaches development and commercial milestones, Inovio could get up to $700 million, along with "double-digit tiered royalties" on product sales. However, sales are a long way off because the compound is only in phase I and phase II of what is normally a three-phase clinical trial process. AstraZeneca is moving its headquarters from London to Cambridge in the United Kingdom, and has operations in Wilmington and Fort Washington. The MedImmune division is headquartered in Gaithersburg, Md. Inovio is based in Blue Bell and its basic scientific premise is to use DNA to develop vaccines. unlike most current vaccines. The companies have worked together before. The compound at the heart of the latest deal is called INO-3112. The early clinical trials are examining cervical and head and neck camcers and the compound tries to generate "killer T-cell responses that are able to destroy HPV 16- and 18- driven tumors. These HPV types are responsible for more than 70 per cent of cervical pre-cancers and cancers, " according to the statement. The full statement from AstraZeneca is here. *This news story was [...]

Charlotte Parker2015-08-10T12:01:54-07:00August, 2015|Oral Cancer News|

DNA shed from head and neck tumors detected in blood and saliva

Source: www.medicalexpress.comAuthor: Wang et al., Science Translational Medicine (2015) Schematic showing the shedding of tumor DNA from head and neck cancers into the saliva or plasma. Tumors from various anatomic locations shed DNA fragments containing tumor-specific mutations and human papillomavirus DNA into the saliva or the circulation. The detectability of tumor DNA in the saliva varied with anatomic location of the tumor, with the highest sensitivity for oral cavity cancers. The detectability in plasma varied much less in regard to the tumor’s anatomic location. Credit: Wang et al., Science Translational Medicine (2015) On the hunt for better cancer screening tests, Johns Hopkins scientists led a proof of principle study that successfully identified tumor DNA shed into the blood and saliva of 93 patients with head and neck cancer. A report on the findings is published in the June 24 issue of Science Translational Medicine. "We have shown that tumor DNA in the blood or saliva can successfully be measured for these cancers," says Nishant Agrawal, M.D., associate professor of otolaryngology—head and neck surgery—and of oncology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. "In our study, testing saliva seemed to be the best way to detect cancers in the oral cavity, and blood tests appeared to find more cancers in the larynx, hypopharynx and oropharynx. However, combining blood and saliva tests may offer the best chance of finding cancer in any of those regions." Agrawal explains that inborn genetic predispositions for most head and neck cancers are rare, but [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2015-06-25T16:43:35-07:00June, 2015|Oral Cancer News|

Oral cancer on rise in young people

Source: www.wwltv.com Author: Jaclyn Kelley Alex Dupuy is like most 15-year-old boys, except for one very special talent. Last year he stole the headlines during a bowling tournament for bowling a perfect 300. But that high wouldn't last long. "My son came to us one day and said I have an ulcer, and we thought, OK, let's gargle with some salt water and we kept checking on it and it never went away," said Nancy Dupuy, Alex's mother. When the sore on Alex's tongue never cleared up, but instead started growing, his mother became concerned and took him to see the doctor. "It has grown so rapidly that I would really like to have the tumor or whatever it was removed," she said. Alex was taken to Children's Hospital for surgery, and doctors removed the sore and 30 percent of his tongue. Three days later test results came back confirming the Dupuy's worst fears: It was cancer. "The word aggressive stuck out to me," Nancy Dupuy said. "The type of cancer that my son presented with was an adult cancer. It's not usually diagnosed in young children." The doctors said Alex had a rapid form of squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue. Four days later he and his parents were on a plane to MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. Through it all, Alex managed to stay positive. "I felt nervous, I felt scared and I told myself, I'll be alright," Alex said. In Houston Alex would have yet another [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2014-12-31T06:23:34-07:00December, 2014|Oral Cancer News|