My career goal is to develop active population-based cancer research programs on molecular and viral epidemiology of virus-associated cancers. This goal builds upon my previous training in several disciplines including biological sciences, but requires further training in epidemiologic methodology, virology, and immunology. At the end of this training period, I will be an established and independent researcher in cancer prevention. I have developed a comprehensive education and mentoring plan. My education plan will provide intensive instruction in the areas of epidemiology, virology, and immunology. I have chosen five mentors, two consultants and two collaborators who will supervise specific portions of my training. My research proposal will focus on identifying susceptibility markers for both HPV16 status and HPV16- associated outcome among squamous cell carcinoma of the oropharyx (SCCOP) patients. I propose a case-case comparison study capitalizing on two currently ongoing NIH-funded case-control study of head and neck cancer and HPV16 DNA in peripheral blood follow-up study of SCCOP. My research goal is to identify certain sexual behaviors and genetic polymorphisms in cell cycle control/apoptosis and inflammation/immune response pathways that could serve as predictors of risk of HPV16 status and modify HPV16-associated survival in SCCOP patients.
The specific aims are: 1) To investigate if certain sexual behaviors are associated with an increased risk of HPV16* status among 300 incident SCCOP patients. The impact of a link between sexual behaviors and HPV16 status will help establish the environmental exposures associated with HPV16 in SCCOP, which has obvious public health implications especially in light of the recent approval of HPV vaccination to prevent cervical cancer;2) To investigate if adverse genotypes in cell cycle control/apoptosis and inflammation/immune response pathways are associated with an increased risk of HPV16* status among SCCOP patients. Genetic polymorphisms involved in these pathways may play a significant role in person-to-person variability in susceptibility to HPV16 infection, having cancer prevention implications;and 3) To determine if selected common genetic variants of genes in cell cycle control/apoptosis and inflammation/immune response pathways modify clinical outcomes in patients with HPV16* SCCOP. While knowing the HPV16 status of SCCOP patients will likely become an important prognostic implication with potential influences on future treatment and prevention strategies for an improved survival and a better quality of life, understanding germline modifications of the outcomes associated with HPV16 positivity will be the next step toward the goal of more individualized, less morbid, and more successful cancer treatment.
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