TP53 and cancer: The tumor suppressor gene TP53 is of vital importance in preventing human cancer development and progression, and is often referred to as the “guardian of the genome.” Mutations of its gene are detected in approximately 50% of all types of human cancers, and the functions and stability of the p53 protein are often abrogated via posttranslational mechanisms, such as DNA methylation, in the rest of human cancers that harbor TP53 WT.