Spatial Robustness of Prostate Cancer Biomarkers Evaluated by Spatial Transcriptomics

Spatial transcriptomics revealed significant variability in biomarker gene expression across highly heterogeneous prostate cancer tissue sections from two patients, providing proof-of-concept for its potential use in prognostic biomarker panel research. Several Oncotype DX genes were notably spatially variable, predominantly localizing to stromal regions, whilst the majority of biomarker genes from other panels exhibited non-spatial patterns. Although low-abundance genes may be impacted by current technological limitations, integrating spatial data into biomarker research holds promise for developing "spatially robust" panels to provide reliable prognostic information amidst molecular heterogeneity in prostate cancer.