In this report the contribution of CDKN2A/ARF germline mutations to early-onset cancers of the breast, pancreas and malignant melanoma was examined. We screened 66 women with breast cancer diagnosed at age 30 and below, 72 melanoma patients with the median age at diagnosis < or = 40 years and 51 pancreatic cancer patients diagnosed under the age of 50 years. In the total set of 189 patients we found a novel change Pro48Arg (nt 143 c > g), a novel intronic change IVS1+36 g>c and two common variants A148T and IVS3+29 c>g. The results of this study revealed a paucity of mutations in CDKN2A/ARF suggesting that in the Polish population this gene does not contribute significantly to early-onset breast cancer, pancreatic cancer and malignant melanoma.