Cell-Free HPV-DNA as a Biomarker for Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma—A Step Towards Personalized Medicine?
Nora Wuerdemann, Rishabh Jain, Anne Adams, Ernst‐Jan M. Speel, Steffen Wagner, Simon A. Joosse, Jens Peter Klußmann
Abstract
Global incidences of oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) are rising due to an association with high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV). Although there is an improved overall survival of HPV-related OPSCC; up to 25% of the patients develop recurrent or distant metastatic disease with a fatal outcomes. Biomarkers to monitor this disease are not established. This meta-analysis reviews the role of cell-free HPV DNA in liquid biopsy (LB) as a biomarker for HPV-related OPSCC. Pubmed, Livivo, and Cochrane Library databases were searched from inception to August, 2020. All studies were analyzed by Meta-DiSc 1.4 and Stata 16.0 statistical software. In total, 16 studies were considered for systematic review, whereas 11 studies met inclusion criteria for meta-analysis, respectively. Pooled sensitivity of cfHPV-DNA at first diagnosis and during follow-up was 0.81 (95% CI; 0.78-0.84) and 0.73 (95% CI; 0.57-0.86), while pooled specificity was 0.98 (95% CI; 0.96-0.99) and 1 (95% CI; 0.99-1). The diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) at first diagnosis was 200.60 (95% CI; 93.31-431.22) and 300.31 (95% CI; 60.94-1479.88) during follow-up. The area under the curve (AUC) of summary receiver operating characteristic (SROC) was 0.99 at first diagnosis and 1.00 during follow-up, respectively. In conclusion, cfHPV-DNA presents a potential biomarker with high specificity in patients with HPV-related OPSCC.