PERSONAL HEALTH : Big Accolades for Itty-Bitty Honoree

Aaaah, that time of the year when “. . . of the Year” awards are bestowed upon the truly deserving.

So it is with the tiniest of drum rolls that we put the tiniest of tiaras on p53, named last week by the editors of the journal Science as Molecule of the Year.

The molecule, a tumor suppressor, was discovered in 1979. But its importance has become apparent only in recent years. Science estimates 1,000 papers were published this year on research into it.

When working properly, p53 halts abnormal growth in normal cells and therefore prevents cancer. Mutant forms of p53, on the other hand, can spur abnormal cell growth. More than 50 types of human tumors have been found to carry p53 mutations.

“About 50% of all human cancers contain a mutation in p53, so hopes are high that the molecule will provide new insights into treating the disease,” Daniel Koshland, editor-in-chief at Science, wrote in an editorial.

“The excitement generated by it and its fellow tumor suppressors is reaching a crescendo with exhilarating possibilities for prevention and cure of cancer,” he wrote.

Our tiny hats are off to p53.