About CDKN2A
CDKN2A encodes two key proteins, p16(INK4a) and p14(ARF), that help control cell division. p16 blocks the cell cycle by inhibiting CDK4 and CDK6, preventing progression from the G1 to S phase, while p14 stabilizes the tumor suppressor p53 by preventing its degradation. CDKN2A is an important tumor suppressor: it is frequently mutated, deleted, or silenced in many cancers, including melanoma, lymphoma, and pancreatic and lung cancer, and inherited changes in the gene can predispose people to familial melanoma and pancreatic cancer.