Rapid detection of loss of heterozygosity of chromosome 17p by polymerase chain reaction-based variable number of tandem repeat analysis and detection of single-strand conformation polymorphism of intragenic p53 polymorphisms. Intragenic restriction site polymorphisms in amino acid residue 72 in exon 4 and a Mspl polymorphism in intron 6 of the p53 tumour suppressor gene can both serve as polymorphic markers. Probe YNZ22 (D17S5) is a highly polymorphic, variable number of tandem repeat (VNTR) marker which maps to chromosome 17p13.1 where the p53 gene is located. Locus specific amplification by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique and subsequent non-isotopic single-strand conformation polymorphism analysis of the PCR fragments was used for the detection of loss heterozygosity (LOH) of 17p including the p53 gene locus. In combination with a PCR-based method for the analysis of the VNTR locus D17S5 using unique sequences flanking the polymorphic region of YNZ22 we investigated tumour DNA and corresponding constitutional DNA from 69 patients, including 39 patients with gastric cancer, 21 patients with osteosarcomas and 9 patients with Ewing's sarcomas. Using all three methods, 49/69 (71%) patients were informative for LOH, which revealed allelic loss in 5/39 (12.8%) gastric cancers, 1/9 (11.1%) Ewing's sarcoma, and 4/20 (20%) osteosarcomas.