The Role of cf-HPV DNA as an Innovative Biomarker for Predicting the Recurrence or Persistence of Cervical Cancer.

BACKGROUND

Cervical cancer is highly prevalent among women in Amazonas, Brazil, mainly due to low screening coverage, and is diagnosed at a late stage, which compromises the treatment efficacy and survival rates. After treatment, recurrence is frequent, and there are few follow-up options to detect it. This highlights the urgent need for less-invasive biomarkers to monitor affected patients.

METHODS

This study employed real-time PCR, targeting the E7 gene of HPV types 16 and 18 to analyze cell-free DNA from plasma samples from 39 cervical cancer patients treated at the Oncology Control Center Foundation in Amazonas, Brazil.

RESULTS

cf-HPV 16 DNA was detected in 54% of the samples before treatment. The socioeconomic and behavioral data showed that 46.2% of the patients had low educational levels, 77% reported having a low income, 79.5% experienced an early sexual activity onset, and 15.4% had never undergone cytological screening. Persistence or recurrence occurred in 30.8% of cases over 4-33 months of follow-up, with cf-HPV DNA detectable in 75% of these cases.

CONCLUSIONS

cf-HPV DNA in plasma is a promising biomarker for post-treatment surveillance, facilitating the earlier detection of persistence/recurrence. Incorporating this biomarker into clinical protocols could enhance outcomes and survival, particularly in underserved regions like the Amazon, where the access to healthcare is limited.