Prostate cancer is the commonest cancer affecting those born with male reproductive organs and has a strong genetic component. Both common and rare genetic variants are associated with increased prostate cancer risk. It is twice as common in those of African/Afro-Caribbean ancestry.

Currently there is no national prostate cancer screening programme due  limitations of screening tests. By identifying people who have a higher risk of developing prostate cancer due to genetic predisposition, it is possible to target screening with the aim of improving early detection. Genetic alterations in those who develop the disease can be targeted for precision treatments. (By Dr Rose Hall, https://jmg.bmj.com/content/early/2024/08/13/jmg-2024-109845 )