Circulating cell free HPVDNA in HPV positive head and neck cancer reveals fast responders and early peakers during treatment
Researchers studied a new blood test that measures tiny fragments of HPV DNA floating in the bloodstream (called cell-free HPV DNA) in people with HPV-positive oropharyngeal head and neck cancer.
💉 What the test does:
It checks for HPV DNA in blood before, during, and after treatment.
This is done using a sensitive lab method called droplet digital PCR.
📊 Key findings:
✅ Most patients (94%) had detectable HPV DNA in their blood at diagnosis.
✅ For many patients, the amount of HPV DNA went down quickly once treatment started — some within about 3–4 weeks.
✅ About 30% of patients became “fast responders”, meaning their HPV DNA became undetectable early in treatment.
✅ By about 3–6 months after finishing treatment, most patients no longer had detectable HPV DNA in their blood.
📌 Why this matters:
This kind of blood test could be a non-invasive way to monitor how well treatment is working — especially in HPV-positive head and neck cancer — and could help doctors and patients understand response to therapy over time. Read more here: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-33345-4
