Medscape, a leading medical website, recently reported on a saliva test developed by Australian bioscientists. This innovative test successfully identified early-stage oropharyngeal cancer in asymptomatic individuals. The findings were published in Frontiers in Oncology.
According to Medscape, this study represents the first non-invasive screening approach for oropharyngeal cancer. The test detects HPV16 subtype DNA in saliva samples. If further studies confirm its effectiveness in a larger healthy population, this breakthrough could pave the way for the widespread adoption of routine oropharyngeal cancer screening.
Why HPV16 is Linked to Throat Cancer——The New England Journal of Medicine Findings
Persistent HPV infection is a key risk factor for oropharyngeal cancer. Earlier this year, a review published in The New England Journal of Medicine highlighted that high-risk HPV16 infection is closely associated with HPV-related oropharyngeal cancer, with cases increasing annually. Associate Professor Chamindie Punyadeera from the Queensland University of Technology’s Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation discovered that HPV16 DNA shed by oropharyngeal cancer patients could be detected in their saliva, making it a promising biomarker for early diagnosis.
To further validate this finding, Punyadeera's research team collaborated with multiple medical institutions to conduct epidemiological studies on oropharyngeal cancer and HPV16 DNA.
Case Study: How Saliva Screening Detected Early Cancer
The study recruited 665 healthy individuals who provided saliva samples for viral genetic and load analysis using the saliva test. One of the participants, a 63-year-old Caucasian male, showed increasing HPV16 viral load over six months, one year, and three years. After clinical evaluation and discussions with an otolaryngologist, he agreed to undergo a bilateral tonsillectomy.
Post-surgery analysis revealed a 2mm squamous cell carcinoma in his left tonsil. Follow-up tests later confirmed that his saliva no longer contained HPV16 DNA, reinforcing the effectiveness of the saliva screening test in detecting early-stage oropharyngeal cancer.
Lack of Routine Screening for HPV-Induced Oropharyngeal Cancer
This world-first case of asymptomatic HPV-driven oropharyngeal cancer diagnosed through saliva testing holds significant implications. It demonstrates that elevated HPV-DNA levels in saliva are linked to oropharyngeal cancer progression.
A study published in JAMA found that among 96,650 tested individuals, those with oral HPV16 positivity had a 22-fold increased risk of developing oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma over an average follow-up of four years. A simple oral rinse sample could serve as a predictive biomarker for oropharyngeal cancer risk.
Currently, there is no standardized screening program for HPV-induced oropharyngeal cancer. Diagnosis often occurs only when symptoms become apparent or at an advanced stage. However, if saliva-based screening becomes widely implemented, it could significantly enhance early detection and treatment outcomes, improving prognosis for patients.
References
KAI DUN TANG, et al. An Occult HPV-Driven Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Discovered Through a Saliva Test. Front. Oncol., March 31, 2020. doi.org/10.3389/fonc.2020.00408
RICH HARIDY. Promising new HPV saliva test detects early-stage throat cancer. ScienceDaily
PAM HARRISON. World First: Saliva Test Detects Occult HPV Oral Cancer. Medscape
Dana E. Rollison, et al. The Alpha, Beta, Gammas of Oral Human Papillomavirus Infection and Head and Neck Cancer Risk. JAMA Oncology, January 21, 2016.
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