TP53 and gastric neoplasm: The reasons for low circulating MIC-1 concentrations in OGC patients may include low levels of activation of MIC-1 through p53-dependent mechanisms (Li et al, 2000; Albertoni et al, 2002; Yang et al, 2003), as many oesophago-gastric tumours show p53 deletion, mutation, and loss of heterozygosity (Huang et al, 1992; Renault et al, 1993).