p73 mutations are not detected in sporadic and hereditary breast cancer

Recently, a novel tumor suppressor gene, p73, was isolated and mapped to ch romosome 1p36, a region commonly associated with loss of heterozygosity in neuroblastoma and other human malignancies, including breast cancer. The p7 3 gene shares considerable homology with the common tumor suppressor gene p 53, both in composition and function. This study examines the potential par ticipation of p73 in the pathogenesis of sporadic and hereditary breast can cers. Mutation analysis of 29 hereditary breast cancer cases revealed five independent silent mutations in the hereditary cases that are unlikely to p lay a role in tumor development. Mutation analysis of 48 sporadic breast tu mors did not identify any unique variants. Eleven common polymorphisms scat tered throughout the gene were also detected. Thus, mutations in the p73 ge ne appear to play little if any role in hereditary or sporadic breast cance r.