To examine whether determination of (1) the copynumber or restriction pattern of certain oncogenes or (2) the mutational activation of the N-ras gene might contribute to the risk classification of acute lymphoblastic leukemia of childhood (ALL), we investigated DNA isolated from lymphoblasts of untreated patients. Restriction enzyme analysis of cellular oncogenes was performed on DNA of 25 patients. No rearrangements could be demonstrated within or near the genes c-myc, c-myb, c-abl, bcr, c-Ki-ras, and N-ras. No amplifications of these genes nor of N-myc or c-Ha-ras were present. Eight of 21 patients were heterozygote for "rare" Ha-ras allelic restriction fragments that have been associated with an increased risk of developing a malignancy. These patients were clinically indistinguishable from patients lacking these fragments. The breakpoint cluster region (bcr) that is rearranged in all patients with Philadelphia chromosome positive chronic myeloid leukemia, was normal in all cases, including at least one patient with Philadelphia chromosome positive ALL. A 2.8 kb HindIII fragment of a hitherto unknown gene or pseudogene related to v-myb probably derives from the Y chromosome. Nineteen patients were examined for point mutations in the N-ras gene, using a novel synthetic oligonucleotide hybridization assay. In two patients activating point mutations were present, both in positions 1 of the 12th codon. Both patients were somewhat older than the others (16 and 11 years), had L2 morphology, and were shown to have high growth fractions of tumor in their bone marrow.