Polygenic risk score boosts prostate cancer detection (2025)

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RESEARCH HIGHLIGHT
28 April 2025

The polygenic score, based on analysis of DNA from a saliva sample, led to the detection of more cancers than would have been found with standard screening pathways.

Karen O’Leary⁰

Karen O’Leary
1. Karen O’Leary is an Associate Research Analysis Editor with Nature Medicine.
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Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers, and early detection has a huge impact on prognosis. Many screening approaches involve prostate-specific antigen testing, but there are growing concerns about the high rate of false positive results and potential over-treatment. A large proportion of prostate cancer risk comes from the combined effect of low-risk genetic variants, which form the basis of polygenic risk scores (PRSs).

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doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41591-025-00027-7

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Subjects

Prostate cancer
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