title: Mutations in the p53 tumor suppressor gene in colorectal cancer in Taiwan.
abstract: Mutations in the tumor suppressor gene p53 have been reported as occurring prevalently in a wide range of human tumors. Detection of a mutated p53 is thought to provide useful information for the clinical management of colorectal neoplasm. In this study, we used polymerase chain reaction/single-strand conformation polymorphism (PCR/SSCP) and sequencing analysis to rapidly screen for mutations in p53 in colorectal cancer in Taiwan. Genomic DNA was purified from colorectal cancer specimens obtained from 80 patients at a teaching hospital in southern Taiwan. Primer sets were designed to amplify fragments within exons 4-8 of p53. We found p53 mutations in 38 of 80 patients. This is the first identification of a mutation at codon 143 of p53 in colorectal cancer in Taiwan. In addition, we found two insertions in exon 5 of p53. The p53 mutation rate among colorectal tumors in Taiwan, found in this study, is 43%. The results indicate that p53 mutation is not significantly associated with tumor grade, age, or gender (p > 0.05). We found that two-fifths of colorectal cancer patients in Taiwan have a p53 mutation, which could be used as a marker of colorectal cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Military Kaohsiung General Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Fu-Hsin
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Dong-Sheng
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Tzeng
authors.forename: Tai-Min
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Twu-Chiang
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Li-Sung
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: For-Wey
authors.initials: FW
authors.lastname: Lung
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003062:Codon; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D016158:Genes, p53; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009154:Mutation; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D018807:Polymorphism, Single-Stranded Conformational
chemical_list: D003062:Codon