A new study from Mass General Brigham published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute reports a major advance in early detection of HPV-linked head and neck cancer. The new blood test, called HPV-DeepSeek, uses whole-genome sequencing to find tiny fragments of HPV DNA in the bloodstream. It was able to detect cancer up to 10 years before symptoms appeared.
Researchers analyzed stored blood samples and found that HPV-DeepSeek correctly identified HPV tumor DNA in 27 of 28 people who later developed cancer. The test’s accuracy improved with machine learning. A larger study funded by the National Institutes of Health is now underway to confirm the results.
If successful, this test could allow doctors to detect these cancers much earlier, leading to less aggressive treatment and better outcomes for patients.