Definition

A gene that makes two major proteins involved in controlling cell growth, cell division, and a type of cell death called apoptosis. Mutations (changes) in the CDKN2A gene may cause cells to grow and divide too quickly or in an uncontrolled way or may keep cells from undergoing apoptosis. This may cause abnormal cells, including cancer cells, to grow. CDKN2A gene mutations have been found in melanoma and in many other types of cancer. The CDKN2A gene is a type of tumor suppressor gene.