Small groups in multidimensional feature space: Two examples of supervised two-group classification from biomedicine

Abstract

Some biomedical datasets contain a small number of samples which have large numbers of features. This can make analysis challenging and prone to errors such as overfitting and misinterpretation. To improve the accuracy and reliability of analysis in such cases, we present a tutorial that demonstrates a mathematical approach for a supervised two-group classification problem using two medical datasets. A tutorial provides insights on effectively addressing uncertainties and handling missing values without the need for removing or inputting additional data. We describe a method that considers the size and shape of feature distributions, as well as the pairwise relations between measured features as separate derived features and prognostic factors. Additionally, we explain how to perform similarity calculations that account for the variation in feature values within groups and inaccuracies in individual value measurements. By following these steps, a more accurate and reliable analysis can be achieved when working with biomedical datasets that have a small sample size and multiple features.