We have detected allelic loss in a majority of prostate cancers analysed. These losses have been detected on several chromosomes known to harbour tumour suppressor genes important in the development of other tumour types. Elevated rates of loss of heterozygosity on chromosome 16q and 10q suggest that tumour suppressor genes important in the pathogenesis of prostate cancer may be present on these chromosomes. Conversely, determination of the frequency of ras gene mutations in prostate cancer tissue suggests that these genetic alterations play a minor part in both the initiation and progression of this disease in humans.