Too much of a good thing?

p53 is known to be a tumor suppressor, but the extent of its influence might be more crucial than has been realized. A recent report confirms that too little p53 results in cancer, but also unequivocally suggests that too much p53 markedly accelerates the acquisition of characteristics associated with the aging process. These findings indicate that a precisely tuned level of p53 activity is necessary for a long cancer-free life, and could have major implications for cancer treatment strategies.