Saliva-based screening program for throat (oropharyngeal) cancer in the Southwest

Southwest EDRN Clinical Validation Center for Head and Neck Cancer

['FUNDING_U01'] · ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY-TEMPE CAMPUS · NIH-11140436

This project will use saliva tests for HPV and related antibodies to help find throat (oropharyngeal) cancers earlier in people at risk.

Quick facts

Phase['FUNDING_U01']
Study typeNih_funding
SexAll
SponsorARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY-TEMPE CAMPUS (nih funded)
Locations1 site (SCOTTSDALE, UNITED STATES)
Trial IDNIH-11140436 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this research studies

You would be invited to sign up digitally and provide self-collected saliva samples that are mailed or given at clinics. Your samples would be analyzed in a central CLIA/CAP laboratory for HPV DNA and multiplex antibody panels. The program is designed to run as a blinded, prospective validation to confirm how well these markers predict oropharyngeal cancer. If a test comes back positive, there are predefined clinical follow-up plans to guide next steps.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Adults at higher risk for HPV-related oropharyngeal cancer or those willing to provide saliva samples and participate via digital enrollment are the ideal candidates.

Not a fit: People without risk factors for HPV-related throat cancer or those unable to provide saliva samples or follow-up care are unlikely to benefit directly from this project.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, validated saliva tests could catch HPV-related throat cancers earlier using a simple, noninvasive sample.

How similar studies have performed: Earlier phase 2 multicenter work showed promising HPV serologic biomarker signals, but this effort aims to confirm those findings in larger, blinded prospective validation.

Where this research is happening

SCOTTSDALE, UNITED STATES

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.

View on NIH RePORTER →

Last reviewed 2026-05-15 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.