We have used a rapid, non-radioactive and sensitive method based on allele-specific amplification using the polymerase chain reaction for the identification of K-ras mutations in archival tissues of colorectal carcinomas. Our purpose was to determine whether or not K-ras mutation provides, when present, a tumour marker throughout the natural history of the disease. We have studied 35 patients who developed recurrent cancer. In 71% of these patients a ras mutation in codons 12 or 13 was observed in the primary tumour. For each of these cases an identical ras mutation was found in the DNA from the local or distant recurrence. In the 29% of cases where no ras mutation was observed in the primary tumour, no newly acquired ras mutation appeared in the recurrent tumour. The time interval between primary tumours and recurrences varied from 3 to 60 months. Our results indicate that K-ras mutation provides a stable tumour marker throughout the natural history of colorectal cancer