Genetic prostate cancer risk assessment: common variants in 9 genomic regions are associated with cumulative risk

Five genetic variants along chromosomes 8q24 and 17q have a cumulative association with prostate cancer risk. Our research group previously reported an association between these variants and clinicopathological characteristics. More recently 4 additional prostate cancer susceptibility variants were identified on chromosomes 2p15, 10q11, 11q13 and Xp11. We performed cumulative risk assessment incorporating all 9 genetic variants and determined the relationship of the new variants to clinicopathological tumor features.

The genotype of 9 variants was determined in 687 men of European ancestry who underwent radical prostatectomy from 2002 to 2008 and in 777 healthy volunteer controls. We compared the incidence of these variants in prostate cancer cases and controls, and assessed their cumulative risk. We also determined the relationship of carrier status for the 4 new variants and clinicopathological tumor features.

Prostate cancer cases had an increased incidence of all 9 risk variants compared to controls. A cumulative model including the 9 single nucleotide polymorphisms provided greater prostate cancer risk stratification than a model restricted to the original 5 single nucleotide polymorphisms described. Specifically men with 6 or more variants were at greater than 6-fold increased risk for prostate cancer. Although 2p15 and 11q13 carriers were more likely to have aggressive features, other clinicopathological features were similar in carriers and noncarriers.

Genetic variants located in 9 regions have a cumulative association with prostate cancer risk. Identification of an increasing number of single nucleotide polymorphisms may provide greater understanding of their combined relationship with CaP risk and disease aggressiveness.