Microarray data analysis and management in colorectal cancer

Abstract

The availability of microarray technologies has enabled biomedical researchers to explore expression levels of a complete genome simultaneously. The analysis of gene expression patterns can explain the biological basis of several pathological processes. Deepening in the understanding of the molecular processes underlying colorectal cancer might become of interest for the advance of its clinical management. This work presents the analysis of microarrays data using colon cancer samples in order to determine the differentially expressed genes underlying this disease process. The comparison of gene expression levels using a complete genome approach of tumor samples versus healthy controls allows the definition of a set of genes involved in the differentiation of both tissues. The analysis of these differentially expressed genes using Gene Ontology analysis permits the location of most prevalent processes that are altered during under this disease. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2005.