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Updated: Aug 11, 2026
10:26
RNAscope for In situ Detection of Transcriptionally Active Human Papillomavirus in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Published on: March 11, 2014
Lightning doesn't strike twice in HPV-positive adenosquamous carcinoma
1Department of Developmental, Molecular, and Chemical Biology, Tufts University School of Medicine, 150 Harrison Ave, Boston, MA 02111, USA.
Trends in Cancer
|August 4, 2026
Summary
Adenosquamous carcinomas arise from a single progenitor cell. Glandular and squamous cells in these human papillomavirus-associated cancers share a common ancestor, revealing their shared origin.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Cell Biology
- Virology
Background:
- Cancers with distinct cell types may originate from multiple events, cell changes, or a single cell.
- Understanding the cellular origins of adenosquamous carcinomas is crucial for cancer research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the cellular origin of adenosquamous carcinomas associated with human papillomavirus (HPV) infection.
- To determine if glandular and squamous components in HPV-driven adenosquamous carcinomas arise from a common progenitor cell.
Main Methods:
- Utilized lineage tracing techniques to track cell populations within tumors.
- Analyzed the genetic and epigenetic markers of glandular and squamous cells in HPV-associated adenosquamous carcinomas.
Main Results:
- Demonstrated that glandular and squamous cells within the same adenosquamous carcinoma are clonally related.
- Provided evidence that both cell types originate from a single ancestral cell population.
Conclusions:
- HPV-driven adenosquamous carcinomas arise from a single progenitor cell.
- This finding clarifies the cellular lineage and developmental pathway of these complex tumors, offering insights into cancer evolution.
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