Biomarkers for human papilloma virus-associated cancers

A method for detecting a preneoplastic lesion for HPV+ head and neck cancer in a human or non-human animal comprising the steps of:

• detecting an expression level of a member in cells of a body fluid sample of a human or non-human animal comprising exfoliated epithelial cells, wherein the body fluid sample is selected from the group consisting of a saliva specimen, mouth rinse, throat rinse, mouth swab, and throat swab, and wherein detecting comprises, in order, the steps of:
• (i) binding a member selected from the group consisting of testicular cell adhesion molecule 1 (TCAM1) and synaptonemal complex protein 2 (SYCP2) protein to an antibody having specificity for the member, wherein TCAM1 and SYCP2 are co-expressed in exfoliated epithelial cells, wherein the antibody has specificity for a TCAM1 or SYCP2 polypeptide expressed on the exfoliated epithelial cells of the body fluid sample;
• (ii) detecting the binding of the member and the antibody by an immunological protein detection method;
• and
• (iii) quantifying an expression level of the member TCAM1 or SYCP2 on the exfoliated epithelial cells by comparing the detected binding level to a normal non-neoplastic control, wherein a higher expression in exfoliated epithelial cells of the body fluid tissue sample relative that of a non-neoplastic control indicates that cells of the body fluid sample are preneoplastic for HPV+ head and neck cancer in the head or neck region from which the body fluid sample is obtained and the human and non human animal has a preneoplastic lesion for HPV+ head and neck cancer;
• and
• administering to a human or non-human animal having a preneoplastic lesion for HPV+ head and neck cancer a chemotherapeutic agent operably linked to an antibody having specificity for TCAM1.