The clinical importance of ras oncogene product p21 was evaluated in surgically treated non-small cell lung cancer patients. Paraffin sections of tumors were analysed immunohistochemically using anti-ras p21 monoclonal antibody rp35. The ras p21 expression was correlated with clinicopathological parameters and survival. Survival analysis demonstrated significantly longer survival times in patients with p21-negative tumors than those with p21-positive tumors. In Cox's multivariate analysis, ras p21 expression was a major and independent prognostic determinant of survival. On the other hand, in small cell lung cancer, L-myc gene is known to be frequently amplified and overexpressed. Immunoprecipitation analysis of two small cell lung cancer cell lines (classic type) revealed three major L-myc proteins (p60, p66 and p68), all of which were derived from extensive phosphorylation of a p59 protein. Expression and phosphorylation of L-myc protein, as well as the autocrine growth mechanism of gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP), is thought to be involved in the malignant behavior of small cell lung cancer.