The present study thus illustrates that large human studies are sine qua nons of modern biomedical research, and we believe that this represents another lesson from our study: laboratory and popu- lation-based research are each indispensable and complement each other in identifying and describing factors that contribute to human health and disease. In vitro, cell, an animal studies are extremely important for understanding basic mechanisms; however, results from such studies alone will never be able reliably to predict the effect in humans. To study such effects, studies in humans are necessary, preferably by using the golden standard of large population based studies,5 as exemplified in the present study by the Copenhagen City Heart Study.

function might improve clinical in intensive care, cardi- ology, neurology as well as in oncology patients.

L expression profiles are now reaching clinical use,48 our work suggests 8 that also germline genetic variations in the host organism influence 0 prognosis. In our case, this single p53 polymorphism extends lifespan 0 after a cancer diagnosis with several years. Interestingly, the improved 2 prognosis in Arg/Pro heterozygotes and Pro/Pro homozygotes vs. © Arg/Arg homozygotes seems to be relatively independent of type of disease, indicating that the mechanism might be an unspecific improved robustness in the organism experiencing any life-threat- ening disease.

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