The present study describes mutations of the tumour suppressor gene p53 in a local collection of colorectal and hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs). Tumour DNA was extracted from both fresh and paraffin-embedded tissues and exons 5-8 of the p53 gene were amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Mutations were detected by single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) analysis followed by direct DNA sequencing. Of the 38 colorectal carcinomas and 42 HCCs examined, 15 (39%) and 13 (31%), respectively, showed p53 mutations. Two-thirds (10/15) of the mutations in colorectal carcinomas were base transitions with a predominance at CpG dinucleotide sites--a pattern characteristic to an endogenous process in cancer development. Three mutational hotspots at codons 175, 248 and 282 were also identified. Mutations did not correlate with histological grade, Dukes stage, or metastasis. However, tumours at the distal site of the colorectum showed a higher proportion of mutations than the proximal site. In the case of HCCs, majority (9/13) of the mutations were base transitions and no mutations were observed at codon 249. This is in contrast to results from other high-incidence areas such as Africa and China, where aflatoxin is believed to be a major aetiologic factor for liver cancers. The results therefore suggest that other risk factors, rather than dietary exposure to aflatoxin, may contribute to the high HCC incidence in Singapore.