Discovering the P53 Gene Mutation: a Family's Cancer Legacy

Lawrence Ingrassia, author and journalist, joins Vineeta Agarwala, general partner, and Kris Tatiossian, editorial lead at a16z Bio + Health. 

Together, they discuss Larry's recently published book, A Fatal Inheritance: How A Family Misfortune Revealed A Deadly Medical Mystery. In the book, Larry recounts the story of the p53 cancer suppressor gene, also known as the “guardian of the genome.” Mutations in this gene, which can be inherited, remove a natural tumor defense, making it more likely for an individual to get cancer during their lifetime.

He tells the story of the search for this gene and the scientists who unlocked the mystery of high familial incidences of cancer, Drs. Li and Fraumeni. He also shares a more personal aspect of the story: many members of his family inherited Li-Fraumeni Syndrome and suffered from multiple cancers themselves.