Using genetic risk and shared decision-making to guide cancer screening
Official title: Building a shared decision making implementation strategy for the emerging paradigm of precision cancer screening
Funded at Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans Hospital · NIH-11222667 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project builds tools to help people and their clinicians use genetic risk scores and shared decision-making to decide if and when to have cancer screening.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Bedford, United States) |
| Project start | October 1, 2023 |
| Project end | September 30, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| NIH project number | 5I01HX003627-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11222667 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People facing routine cancer screening decisions—especially men considering PSA testing or anyone who has genetic risk information—would be typical candidates.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are not eligible for routine screening, who need immediate diagnostic or treatment care, or who do not want genetic information are unlikely to benefit.
What this research studies
You would be offered new tools and clear conversations that combine genetic risk scores with information about the benefits and harms of screening. The team will work with clinicians and clinics to design training, patient materials, and workflows that support these conversations in real-world care. The effort focuses on making it practical for providers to present personalized risk and for patients to share their values and preferences. The aim is to fit genetic risk information into routine screening decisions without adding confusion or extra tests.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could lead to more personalized screening choices that reduce unnecessary tests and treatments while focusing screening on people at higher genetic risk.
How similar studies have gone: Shared decision-making has helped with screening choices before, but combining it with polygenic risk scores is a newer approach that is still being tested.
Where this research is happening
-
Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans Hospital
Bedford, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Clayman, Marla L. — Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans Hospital
- Study coordinator: Clayman, Marla L.
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.