In an effort to define the pathogenic relationship between ovarian neoplasms spanning the clinicopathological spectrum from benign to malignant, the incidence of Ki-ras and p53 mutations was determined in 20 ovarian cystadenomas, 20 low malignant potential (LMP) tumors of the ovary, and 23 ovarian carcinomas. Using DNA extracted from paraffin embedded tissue, polymerase chain reaction amplification, designed restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis, and DNA sequencing, 1 cystadenoma (5%), 6 LMP tumors (30%), and 1 ovarian carcinoma (4%) demonstrated an activated Ki-ras gene. All of the Ki-ras mutations identified except one were GGT to GAT transversions at codon 12. One LMP tumor demonstrated a CAA to CAC transversion at codon 61. Using polymerase chain reaction/single strand conformational polymorphism, DNA sequencing, and immunohistochemistry, 11 ovarian carcinomas (48%) demonstrated a p53 mutation. These mutations included 5 missense, 2 nonsense, and 1 frameshift mutation located within exons 6-8 and 3 mutations that were identified only by immunohistochemical staining. No p53 mutations could be identified in cystadenomas or LMP tumors. Clinically, the presence of either a Ki-ras or p53 mutation was associated with advanced stage disease. The pattern of Ki-ras and p53 mutations appears to distinguish LMP tumors from invasive carcinomas and suggests that they may be separate biological entities.