P53 Deletion

Deletions of P53 have been discovered in 17% of patients with B-CLL. As with ATM, deletions of P53 have important therapeutic implications to patients with B-CLL. Knowledge of the deletion status of P53 in the patient should mediate the choice of therapy. The P53 gene is a tumour suppressor gene and its product, the p53 protein, is responsible for the death of DNA damaged cells. In the absence of P53 activity cells that cannot be repaired will continue to proliferate in their damaged state. Deletions of ATM and P53 are the most serious rearrangements involved in CLL and detection of deletions of these genes provides very important information as to the therapy choices.