[Tumor suppressor gene p53. Theoretical principles and their significance for pathology]

Mutations of the p53 tumor-suppressor gene are the most common genetic alterations in human cancer, found in approximately 50% of all tumors. The importance of p53 in human cancer attracts attention in molecular studies dealing with the pathogenesis, diagnosis and prognosis in tumor pathology. This review summarizes the current understanding of p53 both on the genetic and protein level. Frequency and spectrum of somatic p53 mutations in the carcinogenesis of breast cancer, colorectal cancer, gastric cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma, squamous-cell carcinoma of the skin and malignant melanoma are discussed including our own investigations and studies published in the literature.