Patients with integrated HPV16 in head and neck cancer show poor survival

Human papillomavirus (HPV) and in particular HPV16 is a causative agent in a variety of cancers that include cervical cancer, ano-genital cancers, and head and neck cancers. The incidence of HPV-mediated head and neck cancer (HNC), has been on the rise in the US, in contrast to the reduction of non-HPV HNC that parallels reduction in tobacco use [1]. HPV16 is an 8  Kb DNA virus that is found in one of two physical states in cancer cells, episomal or integrated. The episomal HPV genome is a circular autonomously replicated DNA structure.
Source: Oral Oncology - Category: Cancer & Oncology Authors: Source Type: research