Can understanding HPV integration improve cancer treatment? This review discusses HPV integration as a potential determinant of response to therapies in head and neck cancers, highlighting a therapeutic avenue to reduce cancer burden and improve patient survival. The main question that the paper attempts to address is the issue of treatment failure in HPV-positive head and neck cancers. In cancer cells, the HPV genome can be integrated into the host genome, episomal, or a mixture of both. Interestingly, patients with HPV-positive head and neck cancers generally have a good prognosis except for a group of patients with fully integrated HPV who show worst clinical outcomes. This review aims to highlight the potential impact of HPV integration status on therapy response. It suggests that testing for HPV positivity alone is insufficient and calls for considering HPV integration status to tailor therapies effectively, reducing the cancer burden and improving patient survival in head and neck cancers.
This paper is highly relevant to the journal, focusing on the classification of HPV in head and neck cancer and its implications for therapeutic strategies. Its focus on HPV, neoplasms, and oncology aligns directly with the journal's scope, making it a significant contribution to the field.