The role of p53 overexpression in tumorous tissues and in blood of cancerous patients is reviewed. It has been shown that neither immunohistochemical nor immunochemical methods can be presently regarded as being highly significant in diagnosis or prognosis of cancer. The data of the literature and our preliminary studies showed that overexpression of p53 not only has a role in oncogenesis but can also be regarded as a protein which accumulates in cells under stress conditions. The overexpression of p53 protein can be found not only in cancerous patients but also in patients with non-cancerous diseases. Further investigations should be undertaken to better understand the diagnostic and prognostic role of p53 in clinical practice.

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