Human papilloma virus (HPV) causes around 70% of head and neck cancers in the United States, making it the most common cancer caused by the virus, with rates increasing each year. Unlike cervical cancers caused by HPV, there is no screening test for HPV-associated head and neck cancers. This means that patients are usually diagnosed after a tumor has grown to billions of cells in size, causing symptoms and spreading to lymph nodes. Screening methods that can detect these cancers much earlier could mean treatment interventions for patients sooner. In a new study, Mass General Brigham researchers show that a novel liquid biopsy tool they developed, called HPV-DeepSeek, can identify HPV-associated head and neck cancer up to 10 years before symptoms appear. By catching cancers earlier with this novel test, patients may experience higher treatment success and require a less intense regimen, according to the authors. spklr.io/6014DwOLC

A new liquid biopsy blood test could help detect cases of human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated head and neck cancers. The test has the potential to be significantly more accurate than current methods, including before symptoms develop, according to new Mass General Brigham research led by Daniel Faden, MD, FACS. spklr.io/6019hCvv