Genetic analyses, protein expression, type and function with clinical and immunological correlates in human papillomavirus associated head and neck neoplasia
type: CreativeWork
description: In head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), the evidence that human papillomavirus (HPV) is associated with a subgroup of tumours has increased over the last thirty years. Prospective randomised controlled clinical trials have now established that detection of HPV in oropharyngeal tumours (~60-70% of cases in North America and Europe) may confer a survival advantage to the patient. Within the oropharynx, HPV16 constitutes ~90-95% of HPV subtypes associated with malignancy. This contrasts with uterine cervix mucosa, where approximately 15 high-risk subtypes cause >99% of disease. Other factors such as differences in genetic background, host immune response, hormonal and environmental influences (e.g. tobacco smoke, alcohol) all play a part in the pathway and susceptibility to oncogenesis. Analogous to uterine cervix disease, HPV-associated cancers involve wild-type TP53 whilst HPV negative tumours often have mutations in this gene. As most patients with HPV associated OPSCC present at an advanced stage, the detection and genetic analysis of a pre-malignant state would be important as it infers the potential for a screening test (similar to the uterine cervix model). To investigate this, whole transcriptome analysis with verification of results by reverse transcription–quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR), was performed on OPSCC fresh tissue biopsy samples. Predictable fold changes of RNA expression in HPV-associated disease included multiple transcripts within the p53 oncogenic pathway (e.g. CDKN2A / CCND1). In addition to this, a testis-specific gene not normally expressed in somatic cells, SYCP2, showed a consistently elevated fold change from baseline in pre-malignant and malignant tissue. A subtle immune defect has long been thought to trigger the susceptibility of some individuals to persistent HPV infection with either low or high risk HPV types. Following on from this, we investigated if clinical outcomes in HPV-related head and neck cancer may b…
abstract: In head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), the evidence that human papillomavirus (HPV) is associated with a subgroup of tumours has increased over the last thirty years. Prospective randomised controlled clinical trials have now established that detection of HPV in oropharyngeal tumours (~60-70% of cases in North America and Europe) may confer a survival advantage to the patient. Within the oropharynx, HPV16 constitutes ~90-95% of HPV subtypes associated with malignancy. This contrasts with uterine cervix mucosa, where approximately 15 high-risk subtypes cause >99% of disease. Other factors such as differences in genetic background, host immune response, hormonal and environmental influences (e.g. tobacco smoke, alcohol) all play a part in the pathway and susceptibility to oncogenesis. Analogous to uterine cervix disease, HPV-associated cancers involve wild-type TP53 whilst HPV negative tumours often have mutations in this gene. As most patients with HPV associated OPSCC present at an advanced stage, the detection and genetic analysis of a pre-malignant state would be important as it infers the potential for a screening test (similar to the uterine cervix model). To investigate this, whole transcriptome analysis with verification of results by reverse transcription–quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR), was performed on OPSCC fresh tissue biopsy samples. Predictable fold changes of RNA expression in HPV-associated disease included multiple transcripts within the p53 oncogenic pathway (e.g. CDKN2A / CCND1). In addition to this, a testis-specific gene not normally expressed in somatic cells, SYCP2, showed a consistently elevated fold change from baseline in pre-malignant and malignant tissue. A subtle immune defect has long been thought to trigger the susceptibility of some individuals to persistent HPV infection with either low or high risk HPV types. Following on from this, we investigated if clinical outcomes in HPV-related head and neck cancer may b…
author: Masterson, Liam
language: en
keywords: Human papillomavirus, Head and Neck oncology, Immunology, Oropharyngeal carcinoma, Squamous Cell Carcinoma, Genome analysis, RNAseq, enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISpot) assay, Immunohistochemistry, Gel electrophoresis, RNA, DNA
license: https://apollo8-f-pro.lib.cam.ac.uk/bitstreams/78ebe0f7-6399-4c75-a927-aa6f8ef3a786/download
license: https://www.rioxx.net/licenses/all-rights-reserved/
date published: 2018-10-10
date modified: 2026-07-22T22:24:16Z
provider: Cambridge University
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: University of Cambridge

PropertyValue
property ID: DOI
value: 10.17863/CAM.31003