There are several reasons which justify the name of 'guardian of the genome' given to the P53 gene. Its involvement either directly or indirectly has been observed in the pathology of practically all human neoplasias, including leukemia and lymphomas. Knowledge of its mechanisms of action is fundamental to understand molecular aspects of carcinogenesis. This work presents a revision of the characteristics of this gene and its importance in the diagnosis, prognosis and treatment and why this makes it a potential target for gene therapy strategies.
P53 gene; neoplasias; diagnosis