What is the primary advantage of using targeted gene panels over whole-exome sequencing (WES) in a clinical oncology setting?

Correct answer: Higher depth of coverage at a lower cost

Targeted panels focus sequencing power on a specific set of genes, allowing for very high depth of coverage (often >500x) at a lower cost and with faster turnaround time. This high sensitivity is critical for detecting low-frequency somatic mutations in heterogeneous tumor samples.