A non-random deletion in the p53 gene in oral squamous cell carcinoma

• In a retrospective study of the mutational spectrum of the p53 gene in oral squamous cell carcinoma, 80 primary tumours diagnosed in 1980-90 were included. Using polymerase chain reaction/single strand conformation polymorphism (PCR/SSCP) analysis 47 mutations were found distributed in 39 of the tumours (49%). Unexpectedly, the majority of the mutations (29/47; 62%) were found in exon 8, and at sequencing 17 of them showed a 14 bp deletion in codons 287-292, causing formation of a stop codon and accordingly a truncated protein lacking the C-terminal. The majority of the patients with the 14 bp deletion were women (13/17), and it seemed as though certain potential risk factors for carcinoma of the head and neck were less common in this group.

Subject headings

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Cancer och onkologi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Cancer and Oncology (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Deletion

Epidemiology

Head and neck

p53 gene

Squamous cell carcinoma

Publication and Content Type

art (subject category)

ref (subject category)