By exploiting two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) located within the E-cadherin gene, at 16q22, we have determined the frequency of allelic imbalance at this proposed tumor suppressor locus in a series of human prostatic carcinoma DNA samples. Whereas results with seven highly polymorphic microsatellite markers flanking the E-cadherin locus confirmed the existence of three separate loci on chromosome 16, at which allelic imbalance increased with increasing loss of tumor cell differentiation, no allelic imbalance within the E-cadherin gene was detected either by single-strand conformational polymorphism analysis or by direct sequencing. We conclude that the loss of E-cadherin function observed in prostate cancer is not a result of allelic deletion. Genes Chromosomes Cancer 27:104-109, 2000. Copyright 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.