Fig. 7: Mutant p53 in normal epithelia in carcinogenesis.

Heterozygous p53 mutation in single cells in normal epithelia confers a proliferative advantage, clonal expansion, and a population of mutant cells that persists to undergo LOH. Clones with LOH are rare, but those that persist may acquire CNA and progress to form tumours. Once a tumour has formed, p53 mutation enhances tumour growth.