Mutations of the p53 gene in B-cell lymphoma.

Mutations of p53 gene have been recognized to be the most common genetic changes in human cancers. Recently, p53 gene mutations have been found in some patients with common subtypes of B-cell lymphoma (9/48:18.8%), Burkitt lymphoma (9/27:33.3%) and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (6/40:15%). Evidences to suggest that p53 gene mutations are associated with the disease progression in B-cell lymphoma have emerged. Functions of wild-type p53 and its mutant's probable role in B-cell lymphomagenesis are described in this review.