Katie M. Van Abel, M.D.

The purpose of this study is to identify a biomarker (or biomarkers) that is present when disease is present (i.e., at diagnosis or recurrence) and not present when disease is absent (i.e., after treatment, in HPV negative patients or in normal controls).

The purpose of this study is to determine the incidence of anogenital infection with high-risk HPV serotypes and HPV-associated anogenital lesions in female patients with newly diagnosed HPV(+)OPSCC and female partners of patients with HPV(+)OPSCC, and compare this with retrospective review of exams and paps obtained during routine well woman checks in Rochester MN.  

This study is designed to investigate if transoral surgery with the patient in the seated position utilizing the da Vinci® Robotic Surgical System (Intuitive Surgical, Inc., Sunnyvale, CA) will enable better visualization and expedited removal of benign and malignant tumors of the throat.

1. Salivary tumor DNA (stDNA) and the HPV self-test for oncogenic HPV (self-test) will be detectable in patients with human papillomavirus associated oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (HPV(+)OPSCC) and not in HPV(-)OPSCC, oral cavity cancer or normal controls.
    
2. There will be a difference in the microbiome, virome, and metabolomics in normal control patients compared to patients with oropharyngeal cancer or oral cavity cancer.
    
3. There will be a difference in patient reported risk factors between patients with malignancy and normal controls.
    
4. There will be dynamic changes in the microbiome and metabolomics which correspond with patient reported outcomes in patients with oropharyngeal cancer or oral cavity cancer.