Multidimensionality of microarrays: Statistical challenges and (im)possible solutions

A typical array experiment yields at least tens of thousands of measurements on often not more than a hundred patients, a situation often denoted as the curse of dimensionality. With a focus on prognostic multi-biomarker scores derived from microarrays, we highlight the multidimensionality of the problem and the issues in the multidimensionality of the data. We go over several statistical challenges raised by this curse occurring in each step of microarray analysis on patient data, from the hypothesis and the experimental design to the analysis methods, interpretation of results and clinical utility. Different analytical tools and solutions to answer these challenges are provided and discussed.