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Committed to Providing Precise Cancer Risk Assessments for ALL Patients

myrisk + Cancer History Analysis = RiskScore Precision Medicine

riskScore Overview

Myriad’s riskScore offers personalized risk assessment for women by providing a 5-year and remaining lifetime risk based on multiple validated studies. Myriad is on the forefront of hereditary cancer testing and breast cancer risk assessment and is working diligently towards expanding accessibility to riskScore for women of all ancestries. As a known leader in genetic testing, Myriad prides itself in its pursuit of accurate, comprehensive testing to ensure superior performance and results.

Currently, riskScore is available to women with specific eligibility requirements based on pre-existing data. Concurrent with riskScore’s initial launch, Myriad has diligently sought and is actively generating data to expand riskScore eligibility to all ancestries, having presented data around our efforts as early as 2018. Myriad remains active in pursuing the necessary steps to expand well-validated risk assessment tools to as many women as possible.

RiskScore Timeline

Leaders in Research of Other Ancestries

In addition to offering accurate hereditary cancer test results through myRisk testing, Myriad is committed to offering the same level of precision medicine for women regardless of their ancestry. Through rigorous research, validation, and peer review, Myriad began this process several years ago, having presented our initial work as early as 2018 at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium.

Myriad continues to run one of the largest genome-wide association study (GWAS) for women of African descent. Given the limited data available for these populations, Myriad’s team of researchers has worked to seek out and actively generate this data over several years in order to confidently validate riskScore in as many ancestries as possible.

Addressing the Challenges that Lay Ahead

Myriad recognizes that there are still challenges that prevent riskScore from being validated in women of certain ancestries. In order to offer the same level of accurate breast cancer risk assessment for all women, Myriad continues to take steps to address some of these challenges.

Microscope IconLimited Data on Other Ancestries

Easily the biggest challenge is the lack of data from GWAS studies or SNP-based research in populations of non-European ancestry. In order to address this need, Myriad continues to run one of the largest GWAS studies for women of African ancestry in the world. Due to the vast genetic diversity of certain populations, large amounts of data are required to adequately validate the PRSs. Myriad is constantly working on this.

Genes IconSome Genetic Markers Can Be Protective in Certain Ancestries

Genetic diversity makes us all unique and contributes to certain populations being predisposed to having a higher risk of certain types of cancer. Some genetic markers that are linked to breast cancer in one population may be protective (i.e. help lower the risk of breast cancer) in other ancestries. Due to the differences in these genetic markers among all ancestries, more research and validation is needed to ensure that genetic markers are conveying the correct level of risk for patients.

Pen & Paper IconFamily History-based risk models are not validated in certain ancestries

Myriad uses both genetic and non-genetic factors to create riskScore, incorporating validated data from each to ensure the greatest level of accuracy possible for patients. For some populations, these family history-based risk models have not been well-studied, leaving the potential to underestimate or overestimate risk. By working with the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI), Myriad has performed a study of over 100,000 WHI participants to validate the accuracy of the Tyrer-Cuzick risk model in patients of non-European ancestry. Myriad presented these findings at ASCO 2020

Stay Updated on Future Advancements to myRisk Enhanced with riskScore

If you have further questions about riskScore, contact your local Myriad Account Executive or Regional Medical Specialists or call 1-800-4-MYRIAD

Sources

  1. Hughes E, et al. Development and Validation of a Combined Residual Risk Score to Predict Breast Cancer Risk in Unaffected Women Negative for Mutations on a Multi-Gene Hereditary Cancer Panel. Presented at SABCS December 2017.
  2. Hughes E, et al. Development and Validation of a Polygenic Score to Predict Breast Cancer Risk in Unaffected Hispanic Women Negative for Mutations on a Multi-Gene Hereditary Cancer Panel. Presented at SABCS on December 7, 2018.
  3. Kurian A, et al. Performance of the IBIS/Tyrer-Cuzick Model by Race/Ethnicity in the Women’s Health Initiative. Presented at ASCO 2020 annual meeting.