Biopsy material from 20 oral lesions (19 condylomas and 1 squamous papilloma) previously shown to contain human papillomavirus (HPV) 6 and HPV 11 sequences by in situ hybridization were examined using 3 commercially available HPV typing kits. Sensitivity and specificity were compared with in-house methods. Previous in situ hybridization had detected HPV 6b in 11 (55%) of the biopsies, HPV 6 and 11 in 7 (53%) and HPV 11 alone in 1 biopsy. Only one of the commercial assays (assay 1) detected HPV in all 20 biopsies (11 positive for HPV 6b only, 1 for HPV 11 only and 7 for HPV 6b and 11). The wide spectrum probe of assay 2 detected HPV in only 10 (50%) of the biopsies, and in a further 2 biopsies the hybridization results were difficult to interpret because of background staining. Assay 3 used a combined HPV 6/11 probe and detected HPV in 15 (75%) of the biopsies. Clear hybridization signals were demonstrated in the intermediate and upper layers only of squamous epithelium, as expected from the known association of HPV replication with epithelium differentiation. In most specimens background levels were not a problem, and all commercial assays were easy to use. The findings are discussed in the context of the digestion procedures, sensitivity of the probes provided and the conditions of hybridization, all of which would influence the detection of HPV.

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Exosomes are nano-sized particles 'exfoliated' from a variety of cell types. They are known to facilitate exchange of messages between various cells by transporting bio-functional cargo like proteins, nucleic acids and lipids. Exosomes play a pivotal role in cellular signaling under normal physiological conditions, as well as in diseased states like cancer. They are shed in excessive amounts by cancer cells and can be harnessed from a variety of body fluids. Hence, they can serve as a convenient and less invasive biomarker for malignancies. The present work was carried out to decipher the exact status of exosomes as a liquid biopsy tool in non-haematological malignancies. Special emphasis was laid on their isolation and validation techniques. The review of literature revealed that they could serve, both as a diagnostic and prognostic marker in a variety of cancers originating from breast, naso-pharynx, colon, lung, pancreas, prostate and urinary bladder. As of now, the available body of literature on the use of exosomes as a cancer biomarker pointed towards an exciting future ahead. Indeed, exosomes have the potential to bring about a paradigm shift in the practice of personalized medicine for non-hematological malignancies.