ABSTRACT
Advances in analytical technologies have often driven revolutions in medicine. Over the last decade, microarray technology, as a powerful tool for transcriptomic analysis, has contributed enormously to our understanding o f the molecular basis o f cancer. Gene expression profiling offers an unparalleled opportunity to develop biomarkers that are usefiil in diagnosis and prognosis and in helping to achieve the goal o f individualized cancer treatment. However, the limitations o f the technology and the danger o f inappropriate experimental processes should not be underestimated. Great challenges still exist for the routine clinical application o f microarrays. This chapter will focus on how to apply D N A microarrays in cancer biomarker discovery and how these biomarkers have impacted cancer diagnosis, treatment and prognosis. We will also discuss the promises and challenges o f this technology for future clinical practice.
