Antibodies to HPV16 are strongly associated with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), particularly oropharyngeal cancer (OPC). The presentation will summarize published case-control and prospective cohort studies using multiplex serology.
Antibodies to HPV16 L1, E1, E2, E4, E6, and E7 proteins in serum or plasma samples were analyzed by multiplex serology, a high-throughput method based on fluorescent bead technology that allows investigating up to 2000 serum samples per day for antibodies to up to 100 antigens simultaneously.
In multiple studies, antibodies to HPV16 E6 were shown to be the serological marker most strongly associated with HNSCC, particularly with OPC, and much less so with oral cavity cancer. Overall, HPV16 serological markers were not associated with laryngeal or esophageal tumors. The prevalence of HPV16 E6 antibodies in healthy controls was repeatedly shown to be in the range of 0.5%, i.e. the specificity of this biomarker exceeds 99%. Antibodies to other HPV16 serological markers, especially E1, E2 and E7, were also associated with OPC, albeit less strongly, based on higher prevalence among controls and/or lower prevalence in OPC cases.
HPV 16 serological markers, especially antibodies to E6, are strongly associated with OPC in both case-control and prospective cohort studies, and have been repeatedly shown to be highly specific biomarkers for detection and prediction of OPC.