Regarding p53β, p53 mutation status was marginally associated with cancer recurrence and death in the p53β-negative cohort (P = 0.059 and P = 0.072, respectively; BLR) (Table S2 in Additional file 1), while in the p53β-positive cohort p53 mutation status was not associated with death but was associated with cancer recurrence (P = 0.018, BLR; Table S2 in Additional file 1). This evidence concerns the gene TP53 and cancer.