Genetic model helps predict prostate cancer risk
VA Research News Briefs

Image: ©iStock/Jezperklauzen
(01/29/2026)
VA Million Veteran Program (MVP) researchers created a genetic prediction model that may more accurately predict patients’ risk for prostate cancer. The researchers used data from more than 585,000 male Veterans who volunteered for MVP to create the P-CARE scale, which considers family history, genetic ancestry, and a polygenic risk score based on a wide array of genetic variants. Patients with the highest 20% of P-CARE scores had nearly a three-times higher risk of prostate cancer compared to those with a median score, while those in the lowest 20% had only 40% the risk. Validation in a separate group of patients showed the P-CARE scale improved the accuracy of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing, a blood test frequently used to screen for prostate cancer. The model is now being tested in a clinical trial of precision prostate cancer screening. (Nature Cancer, Jan. 26, 2026)