Published in:
01-04-2002 | Review
The p53 pathway in breast cancer
Authors:
Milena Gasco, Shukri Shami, Tim Crook
Published in:
Breast Cancer Research
|
Issue 2/2002
Login to get access
Abstract
p53 mutation remains the most common genetic change identified in human neoplasia. In breast cancer, p53 mutation is associated with more aggressive disease and worse overall survival. The frequency of mutation in p53 is, however, lower in breast cancer than in other solid tumours. Changes, both genetic and epigenetic, have been identified in regulators of p53 activity and in some downstream transcriptional targets of p53 in breast cancers that express wild-type p53. Molecular pathological analysis of the structure and expression of constituents of the p53 pathway is likely to have value in diagnosis, in prognostic assessment and, ultimately, in treatment of breast cancer.