A Cohort Study of p53 Mutations and Protein Accumulation in Benign Breast Tissue and Subsequent Breast Cancer Risk
2011

p53 Mutations and Breast Cancer Risk

Sample size: 962 publication 10 minutes Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Kabat Geoffrey C., Kandel Rita A., Glass Andrew G., Jones Joan G., Olson Neal, Duggan Catherine, Ginsberg Mindy, Negassa Abdissa, Rohan Thomas E.

Primary Institution: Albert Einstein College of Medicine

Hypothesis

Does p53 immunopositivity and genetic alteration in benign breast tissue affect the risk of subsequent breast cancer?

Conclusion

The study found that p53 immunopositivity and genetic alterations were not significantly associated with an increased risk of subsequent breast cancer.

Supporting Evidence

  • p53 immunopositivity was not associated with altered risk of subsequent breast cancer.
  • Only 4.8% of cases and 5.5% of controls showed any p53 alteration.
  • The combination of p53 immunopositivity and nucleotide changes suggested a possible increased risk, but the confidence intervals were very wide.

Takeaway

This study looked at whether changes in a gene called p53 in benign breast tissue could predict breast cancer risk, and it found that they don't really help in telling who might get cancer later.

Methodology

A case-control study nested within a cohort of women biopsied for benign breast disease, analyzing p53 immunopositivity and mutations.

Potential Biases

The study was conducted without knowledge of case-control status, reducing the risk of differential bias.

Limitations

The small number of women with both immunopositivity and genetic alterations limited the ability to draw firm conclusions.

Participant Demographics

Women aged 21 and older with a histopathologic diagnosis of benign breast disease.

Statistical Information

P-Value

4.79

Confidence Interval

0.28–82.31

Statistical Significance

p<0.05

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1155/2011/970804

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