Resolving Clinically Indeterminate Findings During Anal Cancer Surveillance with TTMV-HPV DNA

Surveillance for anal squamous cell carcinoma (ASCC) recurrence relies on clinical examination and imaging. Post-treatment edema, fibrosis, and inflammation can result in clinically indeterminate findings (CIFs) that delay diagnosis and increase patient and system burden. Circulating tumor tissue-modified viral (TTMV)-HPV DNA offers a biologically specific, noninvasive biomarker that may clarify equivocal assessments.

In this multi-center retrospective study, 233 patients with HPV-associated ASCC were evaluated, including 185 with ≥1 post-treatment TTMV-HPV DNA test. CIFs were defined as exams or imaging results not definitively positive or negative for disease, and were paired with subsequent TTMV-HPV DNA tests. Concordance was defined by prespecified follow-up windows comparing TTMV-HPV DNA results with subsequent clinical outcomes.

Ninety patients (39%) experienced 214 CIFs, arising from exams (46%, 98) or imaging (54%, 116). Indeterminate rates by assessment were 7% for exams, 17% for imaging, and 1.3% for TTMV-HPV DNA testing. Overall, 52 CIF/TTMV-HPV DNA pairs were eligible for analysis, and TTMV-HPV DNA resolved disease status accurately for 48/52 (92%, 95% CI: 81.5-97.9). Negative tests predicted cancer-free status for 37/41 CIFs (90%), while 100% of positive tests (11/11) were concordant with clinically confirmed recurrence. In 73% of positive cases (8/11), TTMV-HPV DNA was the first indication of recurrence (median lead-time 29 days; IQR 25-147).

TTMV-HPV DNA testing reliably clarifies clinically indeterminate findings during ASCC surveillance, demonstrating high accuracy (92%) and earlier detection of recurrence. These data support integration into post-treatment management to reduce diagnostic uncertainty and guide timely care.