Polygenic Risk Score (PRS)
Analysis of well-powered GWAS and next-generation sequencing (NGS) data
has resulted in the identification of numerous single nucleotide
polymorphisms (SNPs) that contribute to overall prostate cancer risk.
Although a single SNP itself has a modest predictive power for complex
disease outcomes, accumulating various risk-associated SNPs into a
Polygenic Risk Score (PRS) has shown to improve predictive significance
while also providing valuable information for risk
stratification16. Prostate cancer, like most cancers,
is more likely to be a polygenic disease influenced by a combined effect
of multiple genetic variations. To date, GWAS studies have identified
269 common germline genetic variants associated with prostate cancer
susceptibility17 1819. The combined effect of SNPs is approximated to
account for a quarter of the familial risk of prostate cancer.
Therefore, it is increasingly desirable to combine genetic data into a
PRS to help predict PCa risk and to stratify the probability of
developing the disease into the high and low-risk
groups20 21.