Abstract
The p53 tumor suppressor gene (TP53) is mutated more often in human cancers than any other gene yet reported. Of importance, it is mutated frequently in the common human malignancies of the breast and colorectum and also, but less frequently, in other significant human cancers such as glioblastomas. There is also one inherited cancer predisposing syndrome called Li-Fraumeni that is caused by TP53 mutations. In this review, we discuss the significance of p53 mutations in some of the above tumors with a view to outlining how p53 contributes to malignant progression. We also discuss the usefulness of TP53 status as a prognostic marker and its role as a predictor of response to therapy. Finally, we outline some evidence that abnormalities in p53 function contribute to the etiology of other non-neoplastic diseases.
MeSH terms
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Animals
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Apoptosis
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Brain Neoplasms / enzymology
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Brain Neoplasms / genetics*
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Brain Neoplasms / pathology
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Breast Neoplasms / genetics
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Breast Neoplasms / metabolism
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Breast Neoplasms / pathology
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Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / genetics*
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Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / metabolism
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Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / pathology
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Databases, Genetic
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Drug Resistance, Neoplasm / genetics
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Germ-Line Mutation
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Glioblastoma / enzymology
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Glioblastoma / genetics*
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Glioblastoma / pathology
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Humans
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Inflammation / genetics
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Inflammation / metabolism
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Li-Fraumeni Syndrome / genetics*
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Li-Fraumeni Syndrome / metabolism
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Meta-Analysis as Topic
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Neoplasm Invasiveness
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Neurodegenerative Diseases / genetics
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Neurodegenerative Diseases / metabolism
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Telomerase / metabolism
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Telomere / metabolism
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Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / genetics*
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Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / metabolism
Substances
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Tumor Suppressor Protein p53
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Telomerase