Vittoria Guarda

Abstract The incidence of oropharyngeal cancer (OPC) driven by human papillomavirus (HPV) is increasing in high-income countries. Recurrent tumors remain a major cause of HPV-OPC mortality, yet reliable biomarkers for post-treatment monitoring are lacking. This study evaluated HPV cell-free DNA (cfDNA) from blood plasma as a monitoring biomarker for the detection of HPV-OPC recurrence. Blood plasma from 59 OPC patients was collected at diagnosis and during follow-up.

1 Introduction The incidence of human papillomavirus (HPV)-related oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) has increased significantly in the last decades. This increase is well documented in many economically developed countries such as the United States and Europe [1-4]. Infection with a high-risk HPV type can lead to the development of oropharyngeal cancer, with the tonsils having a higher prevalence than other oropharyngeal subsites.