TP53 and cancer: In addition, mutations inactivating tumor protein 53 (encoded by the TP53 gene) and some of the SMAD (an acronym of Caenorhabditis elegans sma and Drosophila melanogaster mothers against decapentaplegic genes) family member genes accumulate in the cancer cell; these mutations further promote progression of premalignant intestinal polyps toward carcinomas [6,7,8].