What Are the Challenges of Using Gene Expression Profiles in Cancer?
While gene expression profiling offers many benefits, it also faces several challenges:
- Heterogeneity: Tumors can be highly heterogeneous, with different regions of the same tumor showing different expression profiles. This makes it difficult to get a comprehensive picture of the tumor's biology. - Data Interpretation: The vast amount of data generated by gene expression profiling requires sophisticated computational tools and expertise for analysis and interpretation. - Standardization: Differences in sample preparation, data collection, and analysis methods can lead to variability in results, making it difficult to compare findings across studies.