Testicular malignancy is the most common cancer type in males aged 15–34 years and is still on the rise.1 Despite p53 being mutated in 50% of cancer types, it is not necessary for testicular tumorigenesis.2 In fact, testicular cancer typically overexpresses wild-type p53 (wtp53) and perhaps as a result is very responsive to chemotherapy.3, 4 While there has been effort to explain how testicular cancer tolerates wtp53,5 little is known why testicular cancers do not harbour mutated p53. The gene discussed is TP53; the disease is cancer.