What does this research mean for the field?

Providing men with an individualized polygenic risk score for prostate cancer is well received and does not cause significant psychological, social, or emotional distress, nor does it substantially alter health behaviors. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.INCREMENTAL. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.NEUTRAL.

What question did this study set out to answer?

The study aims to investigate the effect of receiving a polygenic risk score on psychosocial health and health behaviours in individuals at risk for prostate cancer.

July 17, 2026Hereditary Cancer in Clinical Practice0 citationsOpen Access

The psychosocial impact of receiving a polygenic risk score informing risk of prostate cancer

MHMatthew HogbenRoyal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust EHEmma HainsworthRoyal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust BBBarbara BentonRoyal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust

Key Points

The study aims to investigate the effect of receiving a polygenic risk score on psychosocial health and health behaviours in individuals at risk for prostate cancer.
1300 participants from the BARCODE1 study completed questionnaires before and after receiving PRS results.
In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with a sub-group of participants either in-person or via remote communication.
Data were analyzed using Reflexive Thematic Analysis to identify key themes.
Eighteen participants were interviewed, resulting in four identified themes: mutual benefit, emotional impact, risk communication, and stoical attitudes.
Participants reported minimal short-term psychosocial impact after receiving their PRS.
All participants discussed their genetic risk with partners; however, some chose not to inform children about their PRS.

Abstract

Abstract Background Use of polygenic risk scores (PRS) as a risk-stratification tool in cancer screening is an area of increasing interest. The BARCODE1 study is an observational prostate cancer screening study, investigating the use of PRS to risk-stratify people by risk of prostate cancer, with those identified as higher risk invited for prostate cancer screening. Participants of BARCODE1 were invited to take part in a psychosocial sub-study aiming to explore the effect of receiving a polygenic risk score on psychological health, family risk communication and impact on health behaviours. Methods 1300 participants of the BARCODE1 study were invited to complete questionnaires before and after receiving the results of their PRS. A sub-group were invited to participate in one-to-one in-depth semi-structured interviews, conducted in-person, by telephone or video-call. Interviews were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. Data were analysed using Reflexive Thematic Analysis and the results are reported here. Results Eighteen participants were interviewed and four themes identified; (a) mutual benefit, (b) emotional impact, (c) risk communication and (d) stoical attitudes to health. Participants reported minimal short-term impact on psychosocial health reported following receipt of a PRS. All participants communicated their genetic risk with their spouse/partner; however, some chose not to inform their children. Participants described themselves as having typical ‘male’ stoical responses to managing their health and that they did not feel the PRS results had an impact on their health behaviours. Conclusions Providing an individualised PRS informing future risk of prostate cancer was well received. Overall, participants did not report being psychologically, socially or emotionally affected by receiving this genomic risk information. For those identified as being at higher risk it is important that there is access to healthcare professionals who are competent in discussing the meaning of the results. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03857477 , registered 26th Feb 2019.

问 AI

Bookmark

View Full Paper