The Role of p53 Tumor Suppressor Gene in Human Head and Neck Tumorigenesis

Molecular genetics has led to new insights into diagnosis and treatment of human cancer. The alterations of tumor suppressor genes like retinoblastoma, p53 and others may have an important role in tumorigenesis. Mutations of p53 have been found in a majority of human malignancies including head and neck cancer. The distribution of p53 is different between types of tumors, suggesting environmental exposure as a cause active factor. The p53 mutation in head and neck tumors is an early event and appears to have a hot spot region at codons 238-248. While mutation and loss of heterozygosity at p53 are important in the genesis of head and neck cancer, other mechanisms such as binding of viral and cellular proteins to p53 are also likely to play a role.