Tumor suppressor genes and their roles in breast cancer

Tumor suppressor genes have been identified by the occurrence of mutations in many families with hereditary forms of cancer, exposed during development of the tumor by loss of heterozygosity. They have a number of diverse functions. For example, both the RB gene of retinoblastoma and the p53 gene, which is commonly mutated in breast and colon cancer among others, produce proteins involved in distinct steps of cell cycle control, while the nm23 product prevents metastasis. Here we review the data developed until now on the possible presence and role of mutations in these and other tumor suppressor genes in breast cancer. A more complete understanding of the tumor suppressor genes could not only provide diagnostic information, but could lead to specific gene therapy to replace suppressor functions lost in individual tumors.