To investigate the expression of mutant p53 protein (mP53) and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) during hepatocarcinogenesis, we detected immunohistochemically the specimens from 4 cases of normal human liver, 5 of cirrhosis, 5 of adenomatous hyperplasia (AH), and 16 of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) (by Edmondson classification. The 4 cases with normal liver showed negative mP53 and AFP. Four of the 5 cirrhosis cases were positive for mP53 and AFP. In 5 AH cases, 4 were positive for mP53 and AFP. In the 4 cases of grade I HCC, 2 were positive for mP53 and AFP. In the 6 cases of grade II HCC, 4 were positive for mP53 and AFP. In the 6 cases of grade III HCC, 1 showed mP53 positive staining but negative AFP, and 2 were negative for mP53 but positive for AFP, while 3 were negative for both mP53 and AFP. The results indicated that the mutation of p53 gene occurred in the early stage of hepatocarcinogenesis, and may be correlated with the initiation of hepatocarcinogenesis, and that mutant p53 protein probably related to the reactivation of AFP gene.