Detecting HPV DNA in Anal and Cervical Cancers

March 2, 2026 updated by: University of Chicago

Circulating HPV DNA in Cancers of the Anus and Uterine Cervix Treated With Definitive Radiation Therapy

This is a research study for individuals who have cancer associated with human papillomavirus (HPV) and are being treated with radiation as part of standard care for their cancer. Doctors leading this study will use blood tests to find out if they can detect the HPV virus in the blood of study participants before, during, and after radiation treatment. They will also collect blood and archival tumor tissue (from a previous biopsy) to perform other tests in the future that could provide more information about HPV-associated cancers and how they respond to treatment. Participation in this study will last approximately 2 years.

Study Overview

Status

Recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Study Type

Observational

Enrollment (Estimated)

20

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Illinois
      • Chicago, Illinois, United States, 60637
      • Chicago, Illinois, United States, 60612
        • Recruiting
        • University of Illinois at Chicago
        • Contact:
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Christina Son

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Participants will be identified and selected from patients receiving treatment in the Departments of Radiation Oncology at University of Chicago and all participating sites where this study is being conducted including. Individuals from the public who have an HPV-associated cancer and fit the listed inclusion criteria can also be considered for participation in this study.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Stage I-III anal cancer or stage I-IVA cervical cancer that is p16+ based on immunohistochemistry.
  • Age ≥ 18 years
  • Planned to undergo radiation therapy as definitive treatment, with or without concurrent systemic therapy

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Anal carcinoma not associated with HPV-16, 18, 31, 33, or 35 will be removed from the
  • Planned to undergo radiation therapy as an adjuvant or post-operative therapy

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort
Intervention / Treatment
Retrospective (Participants Who Have Already Been Treated for HPV-Related Cancer Before Study)
This group will use medical records from participants who have already received chemoradiation for their HPV-related anal or cervical cancer at a time before this study started. Because they have already received treatment, these participants will provide previous blood/tumor tissue samples that contain detectable HPV DNA as well as at least one post-treatment sample that their doctor collected before the study. Data from these previously collected samples will be compared to current samples from participants who are actively enrolled in this study in present day (chart review).
Prospective (Participants Who Will Receive Radiation Treatment for HPV-Related Cancer During Study)
This group is for participants who plan to receive radiation treatment (with or without chemotherapy) for their HPV-related anal or cervical cancer during the time this study will be conducted. Participants in this group will sign a consent form allowing researchers to collect their blood samples and analyze/compare them to the samples from the retrospective group of participants.
Radiation: Radiation Treatment With or Without Chemotherapy
Standard care radiation treatment.
Other: Blood Sample Collection
Researchers will collect blood samples from participants before, during and after radiation treatment. Approximately 6 teaspoons of blood will be collected each time blood is drawn.
Diagnostic test: HPV Genotyping (HPV DNA Test)
A test used to detect the type of HPV DNA found in the participant's blood and tumor tissue samples.
Diagnostic test: Testing Archival Tumor Tissue
Tumor tissue will be tested in a lab for all cervical cancer participants and some participants with anal cancer as assessed by the lead study doctor. This tumor tissue sample will be from a previous biopsy that the participant received before the study per standard care; no new biopsy will be required for this study.
Other: Physical Exam
A physical exam will be given 12 months after radiation treatment. This physical exam may also include an anoscopy (a procedure to examine the anus using a device inserted into the anus) or sigmoidoscopy (a procedure that looks at the rectum and lower part of the colon using a device inserted into the anus).
Diagnostic test: Positron Emission Tomography Scan (PET Scan)/ Computed Tomography Scan (CT Scan)
Tests that use computers and/or rotating x-rays to scan/create images of the body.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Rate of Participants With Detectable Circulating HPV DNA in Blood/Tumor Samples
Time Frame: 25 months
The rate of participants who have detectable HPV DNA in their blood and tumor samples as assessed by analyzing blood/ tumor tissue samples using Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests.
25 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Accuracy of HPV DNA Levels in Predicting Cancer Recurrence at 24 Months
Time Frame: 24 months
The accuracy of post-treatment HPV DNA levels in predicting cancer recurrence at 24 months after treatment. This accuracy will be assessed using statistical calculations incorporating data from the participant's HPV DNA detection test results and clinical records.
24 months

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

University of Chicago

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Christina Son, MD, University of Chicago

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

October 6, 2020

Primary Completion (Estimated)

November 15, 2027

Study Completion (Estimated)

November 15, 2027

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

April 8, 2021

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

April 20, 2021

First Posted (Actual)

April 23, 2021

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

March 4, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

March 2, 2026

Last Verified

March 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • IRB20-0410

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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