The biological behavior of invasive cervical cancer, a leading cause of cancer related deaths in women is not always predictable. Even when the disease is localized to the cervix, 15-20% patients have recurrences. The present study is designed as a multi-centric one with 4 leading centers-ACTREC/TMC (Navi-Mumbai), ICPO (Noida), NCBS (Bangalore) and RGCB (thiruvananthapuram), to analyze the expression of select markers, which have been shown in isolated studies to be of relevance in the HPV mediated cervical carcinogenesis.

Infection with HPV-16 is strongly associated with squamous cell carcinoma of the oropharynx and is detected in approximately 50% of these tumors. In a small study of patients with squamous carcinomas of the head and neck as well as studies of women with cervical cancer, detection of HPV-16 DNA in peripheral blood appears to be a strong predictor of tumor recurrence.

Local-regional relapse after definitive therapy is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma and has prompted substantial efforts in identifying molecular biomarkers that accurately predict patients at risk for disease recurrence.