Background: p53 mutations were analysed in a consecutive series of patients with T-ALL from one hospital over a period of 9 years.
Patients and method: Thirty two samples from 27 patients with T-ALL were included in the study. Exons 5-9 were analysed using SSCP.
Results: A mutation at codon 273 was identified in a child in third relapse. The mutated clone became dominant in a sample obtained one month following a course of salvage chemotherapy.
Conclusion: p53 mutations are not frequent in T-ALL even in patients at relapse.