P53 is the gene coding for the p53 protein. Disease Process Cancers cause morbidity through local growth, metastasis to distant organs, and systemic effects of the disease. Malignant tumors can grow large enough at the primary site to interfere with function at the involved organ or to compress nearby organs and structures. Ovarian tumors frequently shed cells into the peritoneal cavity, where they grow to cover the surface of the abdominal organs. This intraabdominal growth may cause bowel or ureteral obstruction.
Cancer can also spread to adjacent structures and penetrate body cavities by direct extension.
Malignant tumors differ from the benign ones in their ability to metastasize, or spread from the primary site to other locations in the body. From there, they proliferate and infiltrate the organ tissue and grow into new tumor deposits. Patterns of metastasis differ from one cancer to another. Cancers tend to metastasize to specific organs or sites in the body. Clinical symptoms and problems vary according to the organ involved and the extent of disease.