Comparative genomic hybridisation arrays: high-throughput tools to determine targeted therapy in breast cancer

Microarray-based comparative genomic hybridisation (aCGH) is contributing to the molecular characterisation of solid malignancies. This technique provides tremendous opportunities for translational research by facilitating detailed analysis of entire cancer genomes in a single experiment with unprecedented resolution. Apart from providing data to help catalogue the molecular genetic profiles of breast cancers and breast cancer cell lines, aCGH has also proven to be a useful technique for the identification of novel therapeutic targets. However, aCGH alone does not provide all lines of evidence required for the identification of 'amplicon drivers' and 'druggable targets'. This can be more effectively achieved by integrating data from aCGH, expression profiling and RNA interference experiments. In this review, we discuss the techniques available for aCGH analysis and possible approaches for using aCGH as a tool for the identification of novel therapeutic targets.