Polygenic risk scores improve cancer risk prediction and stratification

In a new study, researchers from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and the University of California, San Francisco, USA, evaluated the extent to which genetic information, in the form of polygenic risk scores, can be used to more accurately identify individuals at high risk of developing cancer. Polygenic risk scores are calculated by combining the levels of risk of known genetic risk factors into a single, integrated measure of an individual’s genetic predisposition.

The authors created an animation describing the main findings and the implications of their work.