We focus on the relationship between p53 and cancer.

First described in 1979, tumor protein p53 (TP53, or p53) has been under intense scrutiny for more than 40 years. A search of the PubMed database using the keyword “p53″ currently generates a list of more than 100,000 entries. Most of these studies focus on the role of p53 in cancer. p53 can be induced by extra- or intracellular stress (e.g., DNA damage, oncogene activation, ribosomal or telomere-associated stresses, and nutrient deprivation) to orchestrate the responses of numerous downstream signaling pathways. p53 can achieve multiple cellular effects, including cell cycle arrest, DNA repair, senescence, apoptosis, and ferroptosis. From an overall perspective, induction of p53 has been linked to improved fitness of host cells and the host organism as a whole. Thus, targeting p53 and associated pathways may provide promising therapeutic opportunity for various cancers.