p53 gene point mutations in relation to p53 nuclear protein accumulation in colorectal cancers

Abstract
It is known that structural alterations of the p53 tumour suppressor gene cause malignant transformation and tumour progression in colorectal mucosa. In this study, 38 colorectal cancers were analysed for mutations detected in the p53 gene by single‐strand conformational polymorphism and DNA sequence analysis, and the results were compared with p53 protein expression detected by immunohistochemistry. A very strict association (P3H]thymidine labelling index (17 per cent) than those with mutations at exons 6, 7, and 8 (11·8 per cent).