cBioPortal for Cancer Genomics
Rating: Very Good
Strong Points: Hundreds of datasets available for many cancer types; extensive FAQ page and tutorial slides.
Weak Points: Visualization tools have to be used offline.
Any individual genomic dataset is enormous on its own. Trying to compare and analyze several or even many of these datasets can feel like an impossible task. Fortunately, tools like cBioPortal are here to help. cBioPortal, which began at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, is a repository for large cancer genomics datasets. However, it also allows users to design and implement comparisons between datasets right on the site. Users on the site can browse through hundreds of datasets that cover numerous types of cancer and numerous types of data, such as microRNA expression, protein levels, and mutations. Users can then select datasets of interest to compare to each other. The website will return comparisons between the datasets selected, such as which genes are mutated, how the molecular profiles differ, and whether the patients received different treatment regimens. cBioPortal also provides visualization tools, although these have to be downloaded locally and used off-site. cBioPortal is an excellent repository of cancer genomic data and provides an easy way to quickly compare large datasets.