Molecular profiling in the diagnosis and treatment of high grade sarcomas

High-density microarrays are used to measure in a comprehensive manner large-scale ("profile") gene expression patterns (when tumor RNA is tested) or gene copy number changes (when tumor genomic DNA is tested). Microarray-based studies are increasingly useful in addressing a wide variety of questions in sarcoma biology. This review includes a brief description of the microarray methodology and data analysis, followed by few examples of the recent applications of gene expression in the diagnosis, classification, and treatment of sarcomas.