The molecular epidemiology of p53 gene mutations in human breast cancer
A Hartmann1, H Blaszyk, J S Kovach
1University of Regensberg, Germany. arndt.hartmann@klinik.uni.regensburg.de
Abstract:
The P53 tumor-suppressor gene is an advantageous tool for analyzing the molecular epidemiology of cancer. We describe the utility of the P53 gene as a 'mutagen test' and a prognostic indicator in breast cancer. Aspects of study design and methodology are discussed. Two major conclusions emerge: (1) there is an extraordinary diversity of mutational patterns among cohorts, hinting that the unique biology of mammary cells results in exposure to high doses of a diversity of ingested lipophilic mutagens; and (2) mutations in the P53 gene predict poor outcome in breast cancer.
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