Although p53 gene mutation analysis has been applied in some cases, this modality is very useful for the differential diagnosis of primary and metastatic cancer.
Breeding rPB-mutant p53 mice with mice expressing an oncogene in their PR will be useful in examining interactions of multiple genes that result in progression of slow growing prostate tumors expressing oncogenes alone to metastatic cancer.
Three of seven cancer patients with p53 mutations had Dukes' stage C or D, whereas only one of five cancer patients without p53 mutations had Dukes' C or D; all three patients who died from metastatic cancer had p53 mutations (three of 37 vs 0 of 58, p < 0.03).