Common polymorphisms in TP53 and MDM2 and the relationship to TP53 mutations and clinical outcomes in women with ovarian and peritoneal carcinomas

The importance of somatic TP53 mutations and germline TP53 codon 72 genotype in the survival of women with epithelial ovarian cancer is controversial. Recent data suggest that a promoter polymorphism in the MDM2 gene may influence age of cancer onset in a gender-specific fashion. We sought to determine the relationship between somatic TP53 mutations, germline genotypes at TP53 codon 72 and MDM2 SNP309, and overall survival and response to chemotherapy in a large series of patients with ovarian and peritoneal carcinomas. Of the 188 cancers, 103 (54.8%) had a TP53 mutation, of which 71% were missense mutations and 29% were null mutations. TP53 mutation status and mutation type (null vs. missense) did not influence response to therapy or overall survival. Women with the codon 72 Pro/Pro had a decreased overall survival (median, 29 months) compared with women with one or two arginine alleles (median, 49 months; P=0.04). Somatic mutation or deletion was equally common for either codon 72 allele. Age of diagnosis was not influenced by codon 72 but showed a trend for younger age in women with somatic TP53 mutations and the MDM2 G/G genotype.